Young Justice: Control
by Emros
Summary: After the events in the Smokey Mountains, the Team is faced with a new threat. Takes place in an alternate timeline where Artemis, Miss Martian, and Superboy never told the team about their secrets or the dark shadows slowly taking hold of their lives. Meanwhile, servants of the Light attempt much subtler methods of control. Original Team. Action, drama, romance. The whole shebang.
1. Episode One - Discord I

Discord Part I

* * *

Gotham City  
December 31  
1:24 AM

Artemis ran from alley to alley, slipping quietly through the shadows of Gotham City. The moon was high and bright and illuminated the archer's quick form as she dashed through its light.

An even quieter infiltrator followed after her, leaping and lining from roof to roof, masked eyes bearing down like a bird of prey.

At last, Artemis slowed by the old rail yard. She scoped the area, gold ponytail swaying, and tightened her grip on her bow. Suddenly she whirled around, dark eyes glaring up at the rooftop, an arrow notched and raised.

Red Arrow darted behind an industrial chimney, back flat against the cold iron. A train whistle blew and wheels rattled as they sped across the tracks. With a screech and a grate, the train pulled to a stop. He peered around the curve of the chimney, but all he could see were the large freights full of cargo and coal. The green archer was nowhere in sight. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath and pulled away.

Artemis walked through the railroad tunnel. It was completely dark save for the shaft of silver light at the tunnel's end. Her footsteps echoed as her boots slapped against the metal floor. The sound grew louder and more frequent. She stopped, but the patter of feet continued. She turned, a hand darting to her quiver.

Cheshire emerged from the darkness. She stopped an arm's reach away and set her hands on her hips. "You came. I didn't expect you would."

Artemis lowered her arm. She narrowed her eyes, lips pursed in a thin line. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"I don't want to fight, if that's what you're thinking," Cheshire assured.

"Damn. I was hoping for another reason to kick your ass."

"Oh?" her sister tested, hip going slack. "Such as?"

Artemis gritted her teeth. This time she did draw her bow. Cheshire hardly flinched. "I should teach you a lesson," Artemis reasoned, more to herself than her sister. "For working with the enemy… with _Sportsmaster_."

At that Cheshire stirred, her hands clenching into fists. "I told you. Not my call."

Heaving an exasperated sigh, Artemis lowered her bow and averted her gaze to the ground. "I especially want to hit you for that stunt you pulled in the Smokey Mountains. Would you make up your mind, already?"

Cheshire inspected her for a moment, the mask tilting to the side. "Maybe you could teach me a lesson, if you got lucky," she admitted with a shrug. "But we both know dad isn't so easy to fight, dear sister."

Artemis's head snapped up. "Is that what you called me here-" A hissing interrupted her. Smoke seeped into the tunnel, spraying out from a round gas bomb. Eyes stinging, she coughed into her arm, falling to a knee.

Cheshire's smoky form vanished into the gray. "It's you who needs to make up her mind, Artemis."

* * *

Mount Justice  
December 31  
5:19 PM

The fire alarm shrilly bleeped. Smoke burst from the kitchen, pooling into the break room. Wally sped into the vicinity, coughing into his arm. "What the hell happened?" he demanded over the noise.

Megan was running around, waving three arms in the air to blow away the smoke. "My roast exploded!" she hastily explained.

"No worries, babe. Let the Wall-man handle this!" He stretched out his arms and spun them at superhuman speed. The smoke curled into a twister and dissipated.

"Thanks, Wally!" Megan hurried to the oven. She smacked herself on the head. "Hello, Megan! It's supposed to be set to 375, not 475!"

Just as she finished speaking, the oven erupted in flames. Megan shrieked, shielding herself from the fire. Wally rushed in, grabbing her and running her to safety.

"Kaldur!" he radioed as he set the shocked Martian down. "We need you!"

"Affirmative. Heading to your coordinates now," Kaldur responded.

Despite the crisis at hand, Wally couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Dude. We're just downstairs." A small hitch of pain came from the Martian. He worriedly turned to Megan, who was examining the pink burn marks on her green skin.

As Kaldur put out the flames, Connor arrived from the hangar. He quickly took the scene in and shouted, "M'gann!"

"I'm okay, Connor," Megan assured as he ran over to her seat on the couch. "Really."

Connor gently took her arm and inspected it. "No, you're not okay. You're covered in burns." His brows furrowed. He looked angry enough to take out the offending oven with a super punch.

A phone rang, blasting a song so loud it was unintelligible.

"I'll get it!" Wally announced, pulling his phone from his pocket and zipping out of the room.

"…Who else would?" Megan asked, confused.

* * *

Zatanna could hear the alarms and the yelling from her room, but didn't have the energy to investigate. She leaned against the headrest of her bed, absently playing with a stress ball.

"Mrofsnart otni a drib!" she called out.

The ball contorted and twisted into a red rubber sparrow. She sighed and bounced it in her hand. It was basic magic, something not even worthy of a show. Her dad would've made it sing. Tears welled in her eyes.

A knuckle rapped against the door.

Zatanna hastily wiped the tears away. She cleared her throat so as not to sound choked up. "Come in!" she called, surprising herself with how collected she sounded.

The door hissed open. Robin walked in, wearing jeans, a hoodie, and his usual shades. He raised a hand and smiled. "Hey."

"Hey," she echoed, offering a weak smile of her own.

Robin awkwardly looked up and cleared his throat. "Just, uh, checking up on you. Seeing how things are going."

"I'll be fine," Zatanna said, though her voice was quiet.

Robin frowned and walked a few steps closer. He rubbed the back of his head. "Listen… if you need anybody to talk to, I'm here."

"Thank you, but…" Zatanna narrowed her eyes. "I don't think so."

"Err…" Robin gawped at her, taken aback by the sudden hostility. "Did I say something?"

"You know everything about me and my dad, but I don't even know what you look like under that mask… How am I supposed to open up to you when you can't even trust me?" she asked quietly.

"Look, Batman's forbidden me from revealing my identity to anyone. The enemy could use that information to hurt those close to me." Robin started forward, sensing that his argument wasn't hitting home. "It's not about trust, it's about safety!"

Zatanna looked up at him, sharp blue eyes attempting to breach his shades. "Isn't that the same thing?" she asked coolly. Her voice was bitter and accusing, but the look she gave him held nothing but disappointment.

Robin opened his mouth to argue, but Zatanna dismissively turned her head. "I don't want to hear it," she said thinly. "Maybe you should just go."

The boy wonder, confused and hurt, hesitated before slowly leaving the room. The door slid shut, and Zatanna curled up into a little ball.

The sparrow rolled off the comforter and hit the floor with a thump.

* * *

Kaldur, Connor, and Megan all sat on the couch, curiously exploring the different television channels. Wolf slumbered peacefully at their feet, his legs occasionally kicking as he dreamt.

"Ooh look at this!" Megan said when they landed on a cooking channel with a flamboyant host preaching about what kind of egg beater to use.

Kaldur and Connor exchange a look that clearly asked, "What's the point of this?"

"Where's Wally?" Megan piped suddenly.

"I am unsure," Kaldur said. "I did not hear him leave."

Connor tilted his head to the side. "Still on the phone. Can't you hear him?"

Megan giggled. "We don't have super hearing like you, Connor."

"No… he's being loud enough."

Sure enough, they heard Wally's voice coming from down the hall, nosier than usual, if that was possible.

"He sounds angry," Kaldur commented.

"I hope everything's alright," Megan said worriedly.

Five minutes passed until Wally marched into the break room, steam practically spilling from his ears. He went straight for the fridge. Megan hopped of the couch and approached him, lightly touching his shoulder. He turned around to meet a pair of concerned hazel eyes.

Smirking, he leaned forward, green eyes hooded. "What's the matter, babe?" he asked in his attempt at a suave voice.

Superboy grumbled incoherently from the couch.

"Is everything alright?" Megan asked. Wally, still smiling, raised a quizzical brow. "We heard you on the phone," she clarified.

The playful curiosity slowly switched to anger as Wally looked to each of them in turn. They were all watching him. "I don't know how they do things on Mars or Atlantis or wherever, but on Earth we don't eavesdrop on private conversations!" He slammed the fridge door.

Megan flinched and nervously brought her hands up. "I- I'm sorry, I was just-"

Guilty for his outburst, Wally opened his mouth to apologize. Instead Superboy shot up with a growl of rage. "Don't yell at her!" he shouted, veins popping in his temples.

For a moment, Wally was afraid the super soldier was going to take a leap at him before Kaldur rose from his seat.

"Enough!" their leader said firmly. He set a hand on Connor's shoulder. "Stand down. Now."

Connor angrily shrugged his hand away, but his breathing steadied and his facial muscles relaxed. He cast a cold glare at the shocked speedster and stalked off towards the hangar.

"All members report to the Mission Room for briefing," Batman ordered over the intercom.

The four exchanged mixed looks and then quietly headed for the stairs.

* * *

The team gathered before Batman to await their orders. The terminal was powered up, the holographic screen on standby.

"Hey where's Zee?" Artemis asked.

Robin hung his head. "She… won't be joining us tonight."

Before Artemis could press him for a better explanation, Batman narrowed his eyes, effectively quieting her.

"Here are your orders," he said, turning to the console. A middle aged man's face appeared on screen. He had slicked back strawberry blonde hair and cold gray eyes. "You're to travel to Gotham and investigate this man, Douglass Hamilton, a has-been chemist. He's now the new manager of Gotham Water Service and Repair. He's had past affiliations with drug and experimental substance trades involving the elite in Gotham's crime syndicates, such as Rupert Thorne and Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin."

"Okay… But what's so important about this guy? I thought this kind of stuff happens all the time in Gotham?" Kid Flash asked. "I mean, come on, do you really need us, and by us I mean me, to take him out?" From behind him, Artemis crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Do not underestimate him," Batman warned. "He is far from your ordinary drug dealer. Recent reports suggest he may have ties to the League of Shadows and is suspected of smuggling contraband though standard service and repair shipments."

"That is… disturbing," Aqualad stated. "Do you believe Kobra-Venom is involved?"

Batman nodded. "As you've seen in India and Louisiana, the venom is still out there. It is highly possible that Hamilton was employed to reverse engineer or alter a sample of the venom."

"Alright, so we gotta take this creep out. Piece of cake!" Robin said, enthusiastically punching his fist into his palm.

"No," Batman said. "You are not to approach the suspect." He pressed more keys on the computer, and video footage of the maintenance facility appeared on screen. There were three trucks parked in front with a few workers loading them up with boxes. "Hamilton is slippery. He's evaded arrest and managed to keep anyone from getting hard evidence on him. I want you to split up and secretly tail the trucks. Find out what's in them and where they're going, confirm Hamilton's involvement, and report back with the evidence in hand. Understood?"

The team exchanged some looks and then turned back to Batman with confident smirks and heads held high.

"We will not fail you," Aqualad promised.


	2. Episode One - Discord II

Discord Part II

* * *

Gotham City  
December 31  
8:45 PM

The Bio-Ship glided over Gotham City under the pilot of Miss Martian.

'_We're nearing the maintenance facility,' _Aqualad thought through the telepathic link. _'Be ready, team.'_

'_Bio-Ship cloaking engaged,' _Miss Martian announced.

With a shimmer, the Bio-Ship blended into the industrial backdrop. It approached the facility and hovered at a distance. The three trucks, scheduled to ship out at nine, were still parked safely at the front.

'_Robin, Artemis, Red Arrow, move in and plant trackers on each truck,' _Aqualad ordered.

'_On our way,' _Robin said. The three activated their stealth suits and lowered themselves down with the purple rope suspensions. They skirted around the building nearest the facility.

'_Kid, Superboy, get in position.'_

'_Sure thing, boss-man,' _Kid Flash said as he and Superboy descended. They worked their way to the right of the facility. Kid Flash adjusted his goggles to infrared and peered around the building. _'There're a dozen workers inside. They don't know we're here yet.'_

'_Understood.' _Artemis climbed up the fire escape ladder onto the rooftop. Her light feet and quick hands were silent, and the ladder hardly rattled to her touch. From the roof's vantage point, she shot a tracker arrow at the first truck. _'Got mine,' _she said.

'_Be sure to go the opposite way she tells you, or you'll end up chasing down the Wayne Monorail,' _Kid Flash said snidely.

One of the trucks revved up and started to pull out.

'_It's leaving! I'm going in!' _Superboy said, leaping out of cover before Kid Flash could stop him.

'_Negative, Superboy, stay down!' _Aqualad shouted. But the powerhouse seemed deaf to any order as he ran in like a mad man.

'_Superboy! …Connor!' _Miss Martian cried.

The workers shouted as Superboy charged them, and the trucks sped off in different directions, tires skidding on the road. The scent of burnt rubber filled the air. Henchmen poured out of the warehouse, guns blazing, bullets raining off Superboy like water on a tin roof. He leapt into the building with a raised fist. Seconds later, the windows shattered from the force of his impact.

As the second truck sped by Robin's hiding place, Robin threw a birdarang out from the alleyway, successfully tagging it with the tracker. _'I tagged mine. Red Arrow, what's your status?'_

'_The target's out of range. Aqualad, pursue it from the Bio-Ship. We'll track the other two.'_

'_Agreed. Red Arrow, go with Robin. Artemis, follow your target. Miss Martian and I will deal with the third. Kid, go help Superboy.'_

'_What? No way I'm just standing around while a certain someone messes up again,' _Kid Flash argued.

'_Oh, but you're so good at just standing around,' _Artemis retorted.

'_Enough! Both of you. Kid, help Superboy. That is an order.'_

'_Sorry, Aqualad. Supie's got it handled… And I'm not making the same mistake twice,' _Kid Flash said, speeding off towards Artemis's location.

'_But what about Superboy?_' Miss Martian asked fearfully.

Aqualad sighed, hanging his head slightly forward. _'Do not worry. He will be fine. We, however, must focus on the task at hand.'_

Miss Martian hesitated, and then nodded in accord. She flew after the third truck. _'_The_ packages are all heading in the opposite direction. We may end up far away from each other,' _Miss Martian warned.

'_In that case, we'll rendezvous at the facility,' _Aqualad said. _'Is this understood?'_

'_Understood,' _Robin said.

'_Yeah, no prob,' _Kid Flash said.

When he tried to contact Superboy, there was no response. The Atlantean stared hard through the windshield, his gray eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry, Kaldur…" Miss Martian said from the pilot's seat. "I sense him, he just isn't responding…"

"Your apology is unnecessary, M'gann. It is not your fault," Aqualad assured. His voice quieted to a cool tone. "It is mine."

* * *

Robin and Red Arrow traced their package to the Gotham Water Facility. The truck backed up to the warehouse door, which grated and rose into the ceiling.

"Sorry if the package is a little banged up," the driver apologized to the warehouse workers. "We ran into trouble."

"Trouble? Should we call the cops?"

"Nah, it's all taken care of. This is Gotham after all. We're well prepared for this sort of thing."

"Hm. True enough… Not sure what anyone would want with this, though."

The warehouse workers unloaded the boxes. One drew a pocket knife and slipped it through the masking tape. He pulled out a pipe and examined it.

"Seems to be fine," the worker said.

"Good. Are the parts all there?" the driver asked.

"Looks that way. We'll unload the rest and send you on your way."

Robin and Red Arrow exchanged a look and nodded.

'_Aqualad, the package was delivered to the Gotham Water Facility. It's just a bunch of spare parts!' _Robin said.

'_I am afraid it is the same on our end. Replacement parts were delivered to a water purification plant. Superboy, what is your status?' _Aqualad asked.

'_I'm… nothing. I took out the goons, but there's nothing here.'_

'_Something smells fishy,' _Robin commented. _'Err… no offence, Aqualad.'_

'_Agreed.' _Aqualad ignored the last bit._ 'Something is not right. Kid, Artemis, how are things on your end?'_

There was no response.

'_Wait… I can't sense either of them!' _Miss Martian declared, putting her fingers to her head. Her eyes glowed white as she searched. _'They can't be out of range already… but… they're just gone! We have to look for them!'_

'_Don't panic, Miss M,' _Robin comforted, though his face was grim._ 'We'll find them.'_

"If Artemis ever had a good chance to betray us, it's now," Red Arrow said, crossing his arms.

Robin frowned, unwilling to answer. Either his friend was horrible wrong and had no reason to say that, or he was horribly right and Wally was in serious trouble.

* * *

Artemis walked alongside the street, switching her gaze from the tracking device in her palm to the sidewalk in front of her. Kid Flash followed at a slight distance, eyeing the screen over her shoulder.

"Jeez, do you have to be so slow?" he complained.

"Hey, I never asked you to follow me!" she snapped. "Besides, it's still moving… wait." She suddenly halted, causing him to bump into her. "It stopped- hey!"

He reached over her and swiped the device from her hand. "Great, let's go!" He marched off ahead of her.

Artemis hovered back for awhile, rubbing her arm and letting out a sigh before following after him.

The tracking device led them to an old abandoned warehouse. "Cliché much?" Artemis quipped. The truck was parked outside and left completely wide open and unguarded.

"What're we waiting for? Let's check it out!" Kid Flash said.

"Wait!" Artemis grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a street side building. She pressed her back against the rough brick, tentatively peering around the corner.

"Are you insane? There's no one-" The speedster was promptly interrupted when a hand pressed against his mouth.

"Shut. Up," Artemis whispered, tapping a finger to her lips for emphasis.

Green eyes blinked dumbly, and he nodded compliantly.

Artemis returned to observing. A man matching Douglas Hamilton's appearance stepped out of the driver's seat.

"You're early," a female voice complained from the shadows.

"I know. I'm sorry," Hamilton said. His southern accent was cool and light with a twist of playfulness and deviancy. "We were attacked by the Justice League. At least, I think they were the League. Is Superman always so angry?"

The woman in the shadows chuckled. "No. You were attacked by children." She stepped out into the streetlight. Artemis gasped.

"What? What is it?" Kid Flash demanded.

"Cheshire," she muttered bitterly.

"Oh no. Don't go getting any ideas of grandeur. Not after what happened last time."

Artemis didn't reply. She just continued to watch, her brows furrowed. She clenched her jaw and her fist, which began to tremble. This didn't go unnoticed to Kid Flash.

"I'm serious," he said firmly. "We're only supposed to observe, remember? I'm not up for New Orleans 2.0!"

Artemis suddenly snapped to her senses. "Right…" she started nervously, almost frantically. "Let's get out of here."

"I meant stay put, not completely pull back! We still need to figure out what the package is and why it's being delivered to the League. If it is some sort of venom based drug-"

"I'm afraid your mouse infestation has found its way here," Cheshire warned sharply. Kid Flash bit his tongue, worriedly looking around the building.

"What? That's impossible!" Hamilton argued.

Cheshire walked past him and plucked the tracker from the truck side. She held it out to Hamilton who took it, held it up to examine, and crushed it between his forefinger and thumb. It sparked slightly, and then the electronics inside sprinkled to the ground like sand.

"It's a good thing I have the perfect poison for these rats," Hamilton said with a grin.

"He knows. We have to go," Artemis said hurriedly. Cheshire was the last person she wanted to deal with, especially with the rest of the Team so close. Of course Wally had to be with her- if Cheshire so much as slipped a hint of their relations, he would totally freak…

"Calm down, would you?" Kid Flash hissed, grabbing her arm to keep her in place. She quickly pulled away, glaring up at him. He recoiled, holding up his hands. "Jeez, okay, I'll contact the others-"

A high pitched screeching filled their ears. They screamed, clutching their heads as they fell to their knees. The pain was crippling, as though white hot needles were being driven through their skulls. The bow dropped from Artemis's grip and clattered to the floor.

Three gunmen approached, their rifles clicking as they aimed. One grabbed Artemis by the ponytail, roughly yanking it back. The pain was slighted by the torture going on in her head, but still she cried out.

"Artemis!" Kid Flash managed to weakly shout.

"Disarm them," one of their assailants ordered.

A henchman removed the crossbow strapped to her thigh. "Look at this!" he said, holding it up before tossing it aside. "This chick's loaded!"

As she was dragged away, another pulled Kid Flash up the arms. He tried to struggle, but his body would barely twitch in response. The third henchmen kept his gun focused between them as they were taken towards the truck.

"See? There they are," Hamilton observed.

The henchmen tossed them before the dealer. They landed roughly on their faces, skidding across the concrete. The pain had lessened to an aching, throbbing migraine. A tingling ran up their arms and faces as their bodies went numb. It was difficult to think a coherent thought and impossible to contact Miss Martian or the others.

"Do you want the honors?" he asked, motioning them with a hand. Kid Flash managed to lift his head enough to see, though his vision was getting spotty and blurry. The suited man held a small, white device in his hand with a flashing blue button in its center.

Cheshire's expressionless mask stared down at Artemis, who glared up with teeth bared in pain. She watched in silence for what seemed like minutes, before finally speaking, "Keep them down, but don't kill them. They may know something my employer will want to hear."

Artemis stared in shock as her sister turned around and started walking away, carrying a briefcase in hand.

"And the rest of the cargo?" Hamilton asked, gesturing to the truck. It was filled with steel briefcases.

"Sell it on the streets with the rest," Cheshire suggested, not bothering to stop or turn around. "I couldn't care less. I have what I came for."

A wild grin spread up the chemist's face. The prospect of profit practically glowed in his eyes. "Get everything loaded back up!" he ordered.

Kid Flash blearily looked around, wondering why none of the others were affected by the strange invasive screeching. Neither he nor Artemis had taken a direct attack. It was nothing like Black Canary's sonic cry or Vertigo's disruption. Green eyes flashed to the emitter. It had to be that… His weighted lids fluttered as his vision began to darken. "No…" he murmured.

Artemis was in the same predicament as her consciousness slowly slipped away.

Kid Flash tried to focus. He shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. The emitter was the key. But to not hurt the others, there had to be some difference… His eyes sprung open. He reached with a trembling hand for his radio earpiece and yanked it out.

The pain and shrill ringing cut to a stop. He breathed in relief, and, careful not to alert the enemy, crawled over to Artemis. She stared up at him weakly with a glazy gaze, confused as to what he was doing. He gently removed her earpiece and tossed it away. Sharpness returned to her eyes. This time it was Kid Flash who put a finger to his lips, and he silently looked at Hamilton, whose back was turned as he directed his men. The cargo was being loaded back into the truck. Artemis nodded in understanding.

'_Megalicious, can you hear me?'_ he tried.

Miss Martian gasped from within his head, answering his question. _'Wally!? Are you and Artemis alright? What happened?'_

'_We were discovered by Cheshire. Hamilton sold something to her… She left, but there's still more in the truck,' _Kid Flash explained.

'_Then we still have a chance!' _Miss Martian said.

'_Yeah, but Hamilton has some sort of device that sends a disruptive, high pitched frequency into our radios. You might want to take them out before you get here.' _

'_Understood. We'll be right there.'_

'_Don't keep me waiting, beautiful.'_

'_You know we're all still linked, right?' _Robin chimed.

'_Argh! Get out of my head, Rob!'_

"Boss!" a henchman cried, pointing wildly at the recovering captives.

"What?" Hamilton swung around, and scowled. He looked at the device in his hand, and then back at them as they rose to their feet. "Oh? The emitter's not working? No matter… There're other poisons far more suitable. Men, you know what to do."

Rifles clicked as the hired guns took aim. Artemis leapt back. Kid Flash sped by the henchmen, knocking the weapons from their hands as they fired. Artemis ducked to the floor. Bullets flashed yellow and flew uselessly everywhere until every man was disarmed.

Artemis kicked at Hamilton, who didn't even attempt to dodge or block. The blow hit him square in the face. He spun around in a wild circle and collapsed to the floor. The emitter skidded out of his hand. The henchmen charged her. Kid Flash took one out, while Artemis blocked a punch, responded with an uppercut, and kicked the second attacker in the chest.

"You little…" Hamilton pushed himself to his feet and clumsily ran towards the warehouse. He pulled something from his coat pocket.

Artemis reached for an arrow, and then remembered her bow was still in the alley. "Stop him!" she shouted.

Before Kid Flash could take a step, the truck exploded in a fiery ball, sending them both flying. They coughed helplessly in the plume of smoke, choking on the fumes until Kid Flash blew it away with a rapidly spinning arm.

The Bio-Ship flew by, dropping off Aqualad and Robin. Aqualad turned his attention to the truck. He drew his Water-Bearers and directed the water from his pack to douse the flames.

"Hamilton ran inside! I'm going after him!" Artemis declared.

'_Forget it!' _Robin said quickly. _'Batman's orders were clear. We aren't supposed to touch him… Not with the evidence destroyed.'_

The fire cleared, but the truck was nothing but a charred, unidentifiable chassis. Robin approached the site. Nothing remained of the unloaded boxes save for ash. Still, he wasn't entirely convinced and brushed through the black char to uncover a steel case. He pulled the briefcase from the ruined evidence.

'_I think I found something,' _he said. _'It's nothing that ties Hamilton to the deal, but it's something.'_

"What is it?" Kid Flash headed towards him, his foot kicking Hamilton's white emitter. He looked down, eyes blinking. Curious, he picked it up and examined it. A childish grin broke through his lips. "Sweeet! A souvenir!" The others didn't share his glee.

'_Return to the bio-ship,' _Aqualad ordered. _'We shall examine what little findings we made back at the cave. For now let us return to Batman… and explain our failure.'_

* * *

Mount Justice  
December 31  
11:47 PM

Batman was disappointed by the performance and did little to hide that sentiment.

"I apologize," Aqualad said solemnly. "We did not perform adequately and that is why the mission failed. As leader I am responsible for this mishap. We will increase our training to ensure this does not happen again."

"The problem isn't in your tactics," Batman said. "It's in your minds."

"Ouch," Wally joked to Robin, shielding his mouth with the back of his hand. "Did Bats just call us stupid?"

Robin ignored him and stepped forward. "Batman, what about the sample we _did_ recover? Did you find anything?"

Batman's eyes narrowed, a sheer sign of trouble. "I tested the sample. It's a fusion of a reengineered Kobra-Venom and a chemical based off Dr. Crane's fear formula."

Robin lowered his head, jaw locked and expression set. Wally's jaw fell slack. Artemis frowned, muttering something about seeing him on the news.

"What does that mean?" Megan asked nervously. She looked to Superboy, Aqualad, and Red Arrow, but they only shrugged or stayed silent, just as unsure.

"It means," Batman turned to the Martian, "anyone exposed to this Fear-Venom will become immensely powerful and dangerously paranoid."

Batman exited through the Zeta-Tube, leaving the team to stand in silence, a wide array of emotions passing between them. They felt anger, shame, mistrust, doubt, and fear.

The clock dinged ceremoniously, announcing the start of the New Year. The team hesitated, wondering if they should say something. Artemis glanced at Wally, who met her eyes for a moment before turning away. Red Arrow glared at her. Megan watched Connor, unsure of what to say. Robin's masked eyes bore into the floor, thinking furiously. Aqualad dismissed them, and they all parted ways.

* * *

Gotham City  
January 1  
12:05 AM

Hamilton sat at his desk in the Gotham Water Service and Repair building, as damaged and windowless as it now was. He folded his hands across the mahogany surface and, smiling merrily, stared into the shadows of his office. "So, in the end, the drug sample was delivered, my name remains clear, and, most importantly, the pipes in the water supply and treatment facilities have been replaced with ours."

"With my modifications, of course," the shadow replied.

"Naturally." The smile on Hamilton's face broadened into a grin spanning ear to ear. "The capsules may be activated whenever you wish, promptly releasing your little present into Gotham's main water supply."

"And then the fun really begins," the shadow said with a smiling voice.


	3. Episode Two - Father Figures I

Father Figures Part I

* * *

Mount Justice  
January 6th  
2:30 PM

Sphere beeped and clicked as she circled Connor. The super powered teen was trying to distract himself by tinkering with the Teams' bikes, but it wasn't working. A single desire nagged him like a buzzing fly.

'_You need more shields, don't you?' _Lex's voice said in his head. _'Well I have more for you. Meet me in Metropolis and we'll talk.'_

"I can't trust you," Connor asserted. He wiped his brow as he roughly cranked the wrench. The plate he was reapplying to the bike dented from the force. He growled in frustration and brought his fist up to smash the rest of it.

"Connor?"

He stopped mid strike and looked to the entrance. Megan stared wide eyed by the door, a tray of lemonade and sandwiches in her hand.

"M'gann! I was…" Connor lowered his hand to instead rub the back of his neck. "Thought I'd break and rebuild it," he explained.

The Martian examined him and the bike and then broke into a smile. "Oh... I see…" She walked towards him, holding out the tray. "But if you're done smashing poor inanimate objects, I brought lunch."

He smiled, appreciate of the gesture.

They sat together, Megan resting her head on his shoulder, and enjoyed each other's company while they ate. The buzzing began to dissipate.

"I was trying to decide what the most fitting food for a typical earth lunch would be, but everyone I asked just said peanut butter and jelly! It's almost as if they use that for everything," Megan complained.

"I think it's great," Connor assured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

She smiled happily and nuzzled closer to him.

'_I understand your distrust, but it is entirely misplaced,' _Lex said. _'While Superman offers you nothing but contempt and neglect, I offer you a gift- all in good faith, of course.'_

Connor stirred slightly, and irritably rubbed his brow.

"Connor?" Megan asked, looking up. "Is everything alright."

"Yeah I just… have a headache," he said.

She gave him a cool kiss on the temple. He stiffened, eyes rapidly blinking.

"Better?" she asked with a coy smile.

He smiled back and tipped her chin up for a kiss.

The intercom beeped, interrupting their moment. "Team, report for training," Kaldur ordered.

Connor groaned. They stood to their feet, disappointed. As soon as they parted, the buzzing returned.

'_I mean you no ill will,' _Lex said. _ 'As proof of my sincerity, I took the liberty of having a new batch of shields delivered to Cadmus. Guardian will give them to you, though he has no idea what they are… We'll speak again soon... son.' _

"You go on ahead. I'll be there shortly," Connor said.

Megan smiled. "Sure…" She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a deep kiss, popping her foot up. Before he could properly respond, she danced away towards the entrance, her eyes lidded. "I'll be waiting for you, Superboy."

When she was gone, Wolf growled from his place of rest. "What? Jealous of the attention?" Connor accused. The white wolf merely rumbled again and lowered his head.

* * *

Artemis, Robin, and Wally, who had all just gotten out of school, joined Megan, Kaldur, and Black Canary for training. The Team now practiced everyday on weekdays and twice a day on weekends. Kaldur was clear that he did not want a repeat of the failed drug bust mission and would no longer tolerate them blatantly ignoring orders. He was, after all, supposed to be their leader.

"Where is Superboy?" Kaldur asked.

"He said he'd meet up with us later. I don't think he's feeling too well," Megan explained.

"Can Kryptonians catch a cold?" Artemis asked skeptically.

Robin smirked at the thought. "Let's hope not, or one sneeze later and we won't have a cave to train in anymore."

Kaldur frowned. "Out of all of us, he is the one who requires training the most."

"Supie's probably just sulking. Just give him a few and he'll be throwing us around in no time at all," Wally said.

"Hmph. Speak for yourself," Artemis snipped.

Wally turned around to throw her a glare, which she returned with equal luster.

"Both of you stop it," Kaldur ordered. "Perhaps you would care to express your aversion for each other on the training mat, rather than with your eyes?"

Wally gawped dumbly. "Uh, you mean spar? With _her_?" He jabbed a thumb back at Artemis, who placed her hands on her hips.

Artemis stepped forward with a cocky smile. "What's wrong? Afraid you'll loose?" she challenged. Robin chuckled deviously while Megan's eyes flitted worriedly between the two.

"No," Wally snapped. He folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head slightly higher. "I just don't make it a policy to wail on girls."

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes, "you're so dead."

"Recognized: Red Arrow B06." Roy phased in from the light of the Zeta-Tube and walked briskly towards them, his bow swinging back and forth in his hand.

"Aqualad," he said, looking around at the Team, eyes lingering on Artemis and Wally, who were about to start the match. "Sorry to interrupt your little fight, but Green Arrow wants me," he hesitated, "_us_ to patrol Gotham for Fear-Venom. According to Batman, Hamilton's selling it on the streets."

Kaldur brought his knuckles to rest beneath his chin in thought. "For what purpose?"

Red Arrow narrowed his eyes. "What do you think?"

Kaldur hesitated, pale eyes scanning the Team. "I see. In that case, take Robin and Miss Martian. The rest of us, however, must train."

"I was hoping to bring you along," Red Arrow admitted. He cast a glare over at Artemis, who stared back with dark eyes full of challenge. "But I understand _some _of us need their hands held."

"Hey, I'm not the one who missed his target last night!" Artemis snapped.

"Stop it," Kaldur firmly interrupted. "We all have our roles. I suggest we carry them out and not waste time arguing specifics."

On that note, Red Arrow left for the Zeta-Tube. "Aww I wanted to see them duke it out," Robin muttered as he and Miss Martian followed after him.

* * *

Gotham City  
January 6th  
4:45 PM

The camouflaged Bio-Ship skimmed over the tall towers of Gotham City. Red Arrow traveled across the rooftops, scanning the alleys below for any sign of activity. Robin flitted between the shadows of the buildings, his cape giving the slightest of rustles as he moved.

The cold air would've been crisp if not for the breaths of smog riding the wind. A teenager stood beneath the arch of a bridge, shivering in his large coat. Cars whooshed and trucks rumbled overhead. He adjusted the beanie on his flop of brown hair and blew into his mittens for warmth. His breath swirled around his face and up into the sky.

Frost crunched as a second kid walked across the grassy dirt. A hat shadowed his face and shades concealed his eyes. His lips were cast in a frown and had the odd habit of giving the occasional twitch.

The teenager turned towards the newcomer and began fumbling with the pockets of his jacket. "Do you, uh, have it?" he asked.

"Do you?" The jitter lipped kid asked.

"I-I've got fifty," he answered, averting his eyes.

The kid's frown widened. "It's seventy-five per vial."

The teenager started to panic. "But I was told fifty'd be enough! Come _on_, man! My friends are expecting me!" He lowered his voice. "And I've got a girl waiting on me, you know? She _really_ wants me to bring this stuff."

The kid hesitated. "Alright, fine," he conceded. "But just this once."

Relief spread across the teenager's face. He pulled out a wad of cash and offered it to him. The kid brought out a paper bag. As the two offers passed, a birdarang zipped from the bushes overlooking the ditch. It struck the kid's hand, which dropped the bag in shock. The teenager fell back with a startled cry. The kid's head snapped towards the bushes. Taking a split-second to think, he swiped the cash from the teenager, who could only shout in protest, and ran off.

The teenager stared at the bag by his feet. He hastily grabbed it and scrambled up. A twang rang out, and an arrow whizzed through the air. It exploded just before striking him, and bolas wrapped around his arms and legs, snapping them together. He fell to the floor with a heavy thump.

Red Arrow emerged from hiding. "Robin!" he called.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it!" Robin darted after the dealer.

The twitchy kid ran to the far underside of the bridge. He ran so fast and furiously that his feet seemed to lift off the ground. He let out a gasp as he rose into the air, and a green skinned girl stepped out from the lip of the entrance. Her eyes glowed white and she held out her hand, making him float along back to the others, where she dropped him in a heap.

Robin kneeled in front of him. The kid tried to scramble back, but a boot was placed on his shoulder, keeping him in place. The sudden jolt made his glasses loosen and slide over his nose. "Wha-what do you want?" he demanded.

"Answers," Robin said. A grin broke out so widely that the white eyes of his mask curved like crescent moons. "Unless you want to play with my friend here."

The kid's Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped. He fearfully looked up at the green, glowing eyed alien. She glared down at him with a terrible scowl. "N-no!" he pleaded. "I'll talk! Whatever you wanna know!"

"You can start by telling us about this," Red Arrow said, dropping the paper bag at Robin's feet.

Robin pulled out the contents. It was a single vial filled with a glowing purple liquid. "Hmm… Looks like a dose of chemicals. Judging by the container, it's meant for injection. Hey, why isn't there ever any plain jection going on?"

"Not now," Red Arrow said exasperatedly. He turned to the kid. "What is this?"

"I-it's called Elixir," the kid said.

"Ooh classy. What does it do?" Robin asked.

"I haven't used it! I swear I'm clean!" the kid panicked.

"Right. You only sell it and reap your reward from addicts," Red Arrow said.

"No! I mean… well, sure, I guess… but I don't use the stuff!"

"Just answer the question," Miss Martian snapped, pressing her heel into his spine.

The kid flinched, not daring to look back. "It's a kind of a... a mood changer. Makes you see things and feel excited... A-apparently it's pretty effective, cause people keep coming back for more- but I wouldn't know!" he hastily added.

"Alright so it's hallucinogenic. What's it made from?" Robin asked.

He shrugged. "No one really knows. They just assume it's synthetic."

"No one knows what they're taking?" Miss Martian asked, forgetting to speak harshly.

The kid looked a little confused at her sudden change, but was too overwhelmed to think clearly about it. He just shook his head in answer.

"Who makes it?" Robin asked.

"I don't know. I buy from a guy, who buys from a guy in Star City."

"Star City?" Robin asked, sharing a surprised look with Red Arrow. "What about the guy you buy from? Who is he?"

"I don't even know his name. We don't ask questions, you know?" He looked around nervously. "That's all I know, I swear."

'_I could read his mind, just in case,' _Miss Martian said through their mind link.

'_No, I believe him. Besides he's just a kid,' _Robin argued.

'_Older than you,' _Red Arrow pointed out.

'_Hello! Trained by Batman over here! That's worth five years at least!'_

The kid looked around, confused by their silence. "C-can I go?" he asked meekly.

Robin clutched his fingers tightly around the vial and stood to his feet. Miss Martian released him, planting her foot back on the ground.

"Sure. Why don't you run along and rethink your life," Red Arrow suggested.

At that moment, the kid seemed to agree with whatever life lesson they offered. He scampered off with a quick breath, feet flying as he ran away.

Robin pocketed the vial. "Question the other one just in case," he ordered.

The teenager didn't know anything other than rumors. The only information he gave them was an added remark about how some of the college students were using the drug as a performance enhancer.

"It causes hallucinations _and_ increases strength? That sounds like Hamilton's Fear-Venom alright," Robin mused.

"Yes, but what did we learn? It feels like we're nowhere closer to the truth," Miss Martian said dejectedly.

"Not entirely," Robin disagreed. "We know the drug is being sold all over, with young adults as the target demographic. We just don't know why. Money is the obvious answer, but I'm not so sure."

"I guess…" She didn't seem entirely convinced.

Robin tried again, "At the very least we can test the sample back at the Cave to see if this really is Hamilton's work."

"Then let's head back," Red Arrow said. "This has been nothing but a waste of time."

"Well, we didn't learn anything useful, but we stopped two kids from getting involved," Miss Martian pointed out.

"Yeah, and who would've thought Miss Martian could be intimidating!" Robin said with a laugh. "That alone was worth the effort!"

Red Arrow stared at them, the whites of his mask filled with cynicism. "Who're you kidding? You think they're going to change after today? There's a reason the League doesn't even bother themselves with these kinds of people. The fact that they stick _us_ with it speaks volumes."

He turned his back and stalked off, leaving Robin and Miss Martian behind to share a troubled look.

* * *

Mount Justice  
January 6th  
5:15 PM

A fist swung at Artemis. She quickly blocked it with her forearm. The second hand zipped faster than her eyes could follow and registered a swift chop at her side. She punched back, only for Wally to speed around her side and loops his arms under hers, holding her from behind.

She struggled to break free, at which he was only amused, and then snapped her head back into his face. He groaned as his nose cracked, and his grip loosened. She swung around, delivering a swift kick to his side.

"Kid, do not underestimate your opponent merely because she has been temporarily subdued," Kaldur warned.

"Yeah, yeah!" Wally complained as he blocked a wild punch. Blinking away the stinging from his eyes, he counterattacked. He ran circles around Artemis, throwing in the occasional unexpected jab as she struggled to keep up. She knit her brows in a mixture of frustration and concentration.

She stuck an arm out. Wally collided with it at neck level, his feet flying up from under him. The ground hit his back hard. He groaned, dazedly staring up at the green archer's triumphant smirk. The blue icon on the floor read in brightly colored letters, "Kid Flash: Fail."

Artemis offered a hand to help him up but he waved it aside, pushing himself to his feet. He rubbed the aching choked feeling out of his neck.

"Kid, do you know what you did wrong?" Kaldur asked.

"Hmm… Everything?" Artemis suggested. She earned a flashing glare from the defeated speedster as his face turned as red as his hair.

"You depended too much on your speed, thus allowing your opponent to take advantage of any obvious weaknesses. Next time, restrain your powers and fight with balance and technique," Kaldur suggested.

"What, you mean short-circuit my speed?" Wally clarified. "Yeah right. Without my powers I'm just a normal guy!"

"Who couldn't take on a normal girl?" Artemis tested. "You do know I don't have any powers, right?"

"Oh ha-ha!"

As they bickered on the training floor, Kaldur sighed and kneaded the bridge of his nose. Loud footsteps sounded as Superboy approached from the hall. He turned to face the approaching teen.

"You've been absent for nearly two hours," Kaldur observed.

"Yeah… sorry," Connor said sheepishly. "Lost track of time."

"Well find it. Judging by your inadequate performance last week, you need as much as you can get."

Connor's brows furrowed. His head tilted slightly forward as he stared hard at the Atlantean. Even without heat vision, his eyes emitted a bright burning. "I take it we're fighting now?"

Kaldur merely nodded.

A smile played on Connor's lips, though it was anything but fun hearted. "Good."

Wally and Artemis turned their attention to a much more serious, more dangerous battle. "Uh, let's get off the mat," Wally suggested nervously.

The match between the Atlantean and the Kryptonian was so fierce it seemed to transcend training altogether and become a lesson in humility; a very painful lesson that one of them was soon about to learn.

At first, Connor dominated the fight with punches thrown like rapid fire boulders. His attacks were wild and imprecise, and soon Aqualad was dodging more than he was blocking and striking more than he was counterattacking. Still, there was no doubt that Connor's strength was superior. Abandoning standard protocols, he rammed Kaldur into the wall, denting the steel.

"Hey!" Artemis called out in protest, but it went unheard.

A breathless gasp escaped Kaldur's lips as the wind was pushed from his body. He slumped to the floor, catching himself with a knee and a palm. Connor stood before him, breathing heavily.

"Your reckless abandon fails to impress," Kaldur said between ragged breaths. He pushed himself to his feet as his opponent looked only angrier and angrier.

"I won," Connor argued.

"It may defeat me, but it will not defeat our foes; or prevent your teammates from coming to harm," Kaldur said.

Connor turned his back, his hands clenching into tight fists. A low growl emanated from his throat.

"Whoa, calm down, Supie!" Wally said, zipping to his side and putting a hand on his shoulder. It was immediately shrugged off as Connor haughtily marched away.

"You alright, Kaldur?" Artemis asked, helping him to his feet.

Kaldur shut his pale eyes and breathed out a sigh. "I am fine. I cannot say the same for Superboy, however."

"Recognized: Robin B01, Miss Martian B05."

He turned towards the hall and then glanced back at Artemis and Wally. "Come. We should rendezvous with the others."

* * *

**A/N:**

I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! Thank you so much for checking it out and reviewing, it means a lot! I just wanted to let you know that I plan on updating every three days or so. Two chapters equal one story arc or "episode". I have everything planned out, but it's not all written yet. So life may get in the way of my updates, but I'll do my best to remain consistent. **  
**

iSniffMarkers: It's a magic alternate timeline oooooOOOOOoooh! *waggles fingers* In all seriousness, I just straight up don't care about Rocket in context with the show. (character's awesome otherwise) Since she came out of nowhere just to all but vanish after the time skip, I never learned enough about her to care or properly integrate her into this storyline. If I did include her, it would've admittedly been half assed. Anyway, thought I should explain myself. Thanks for the review!


	4. Episode Two - Father Figures II

Father Figures Part II

* * *

Mount Justice

January 6th

6:30 PM

Laughter filled the mission room. Robin's devious cackle echoed off the spacious steel walls.

"_What_ is so funny?" Wally demanded as he, Artemis, and Aqualad joined the rest of the team.

"Dude!" Robin said, breaking to let out a laugh and hold his side. "You totally got clotheslined!"

The surveillance tape from their fight was playing on the main computer. Robin, along with Miss Martian and Red Arrow, were curiously observing as Wally KOed himself over and over.

"Oh, come on!" Wally complained, throwing his hands up in frustration.

"Recognized: Batman A02."

Everyone fell in line. The clip continued to play as Batman approached. He watched it play once and then turned to Artemis. "Nice move," he praised.

The archer smiled, pleased with herself, while Wally slapped a hand to his face and groaned in shame.

"We have much to discuss. But first, Robin, what did you discover?" Batman asked.

Robin stepped forward, vial in hand. "_This_. It's called Elixir. According to the kid we nabbed it off, it's being distributed to major cities all over the US. Not just Gotham, actually."

"It appears to be Hamilton's Fear-Venom." Batman took the vial, examined it under the light, and slipped it into a compartment in his utility belt. "I'll run some tests on it, try and discern why it's being sold."

"Uh, money?" Wally suggested obviously.

"If money was the Shadow's primary goal, creating a specialized drug would be inordinate," Batman said. "It's best I take it to the lab for study. In the meantime, I suggest you do what you can to keep the drug from spreading. From now on, you'll participate in nightly patrols around Gotham."

"Aww man," Wally complained. "Right when I have a history report due!"

"One more thing," Batman said, raising his voice slightly. "Our sources have spotted Hamilton down by a warehouse in Gotham's Dockyard. It may be where he's keeping his shipments. Aqualad, take Kid Flash, Superboy, and Artemis to check it out."

"Understood." Kaldur bowed his head. Eyes averted, he added, "I will inform Superboy of our task."

"Team dismissed." Batman turned around, his cape rustling as it swirled after him.

* * *

Gotham Docks

January 6th

8:00 PM

Water softly slapped the wooden dock legs and concrete shore. Two armed guards kept watch by the door.

"Man, these night shifts are killing me," Ted complained. He was a skinny man with curdled skin and wide, popping eyes.

"Tell me about," Marc agreed, scratching his thin hair until the dandruff collected under his nails. He examined the white flecks and absently rubbed it off on his coat. "But it's not so much the job as it is the wife berating me when I get home."

"You have no idea. My wife keeps telling me, 'Oh Ted, mother was right about you! I shoulda married that Arlington boy! He became a crime boss in Star City, and you're still justa henchman!' Makes me sick, I tell ya…"

"She just don't know a good thing when she's got it," Marc said, shaking his head sympathetically.

"Thanks, man-" A splash came from the water. "What was that?" The guards snapped their guns to the direction of the disturbance. Ted took a step forward, the rifle propped against his shoulder. He jerked his head towards the edge of the dock. "Go check it out."

"Why me?" Marc complained.

"Just do it!"

"Fine, fine…" Eyes scurrying fearfully left and right, Marc tiptoed forward. The closer he got the water, the tighter his finger squeezed the trigger. He peeked down over the edge. Below him, the dark water was smooth and undisturbed. Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned around and shouted, "It's nuthin'!"

A tower of water burst from the ocean, spinning as it rose higher and higher. Marc screamed as it arched like a serpent and came crashing down over his head.

Ted pulled the trigger of his rifle. A blur of yellow and red knocked into the rifle, sending a spray of bullets up into the sky. He swung around and fired after it, only for the light of the gun to illuminate an empty straight.

A finger tapped his shoulder.

His breath hitched. He slowly turned around, eyes as round as tennis balls. He saw red hair, green eyes and a smirk before a fist flew into his jaw.

Aqualad came up besides Kid Flash, dripping water and darkening the concrete. He looked down at the unconscious guard. "Good work, Kid." He touched the radio in his ear. "The guards have been neutralized. Land the Bio-Ship and assemble."

"Already done." Artemis dropped down from her perch on the roof of an adjacent warehouse. She walked over to them, turning to Kid Flash. "Thought I'd watch your back in case you messed up," she told him.

"Aww, you do care!" Kid Flash said sarcastically.

"Where is Superboy?" Aqualad interrupted.

Artemis jerked a thumb back over her shoulder. "Back at the ship."

"I'm right here," Superboy said, emerging from the shadows, shoulders square and large arms swinging.

"Then let us proceed," Aqualad said, exchanging a look with the challenging teen.

They entered the darkness of the warehouse. Sensing danger, Superboy slipped a red shield under his sleeve. His blood boiled and his skin prickled as through a pot of steaming water had been poured over his head. He balled his hands into giant fists.

The lights blared on, momentarily blinding them as they raised their arms over their eyes. Artemis saw the arc of a thin shadow. A javelin came flying from the center of the white glare.

"Aqualad, move!" she cried out and quickly shoved the Atlantean out of the way, sending them both crashing to the floor. The javelin struck the spot where he'd been standing, cracking the ground and quivering from the rebounded force.

"Well, would you look at that," a husky voice said. As their eyes adjusted to the light, they looked up towards the source of the voice. A man stood on the upper balcony of the warehouse, his arms crossed over a barrel chest. A hockey mask shielded his face.

"You're here after all," Sportsmaster observed. "I admit I was beginning to wonder if you'd show."

"What do you mean, 'we're here after all'?" Kid Flash demanded, walking forward to face the villain.

The man chuckled. "I take it your head doesn't match your speed, boy."

"Okay, that's it. I don't know what you're doing here, but I'm officially kicking your butt out!" Kid Flash declared.

"Ooh, scary," Sportsmaster mocked.

Aqualad, who had sprung to his feet, extended a hand to Artemis and pulled her up. Superboy bent his legs and let out a bestial growl.

"Superboy- don't!" Aqualad hurried forward, throwing out a webbed hand to stop him.

But it was too late. Superboy leapt with a fierce yell, his feet indenting in the concrete as they pushed off, his arm pulled back and his eyes wide with rage.

Sportsmaster didn't flinch as Blockbuster bounded over his tall form, bringing a giant fist down towards the charging teen. Superboy had only a moment to hesitate as shock flickered across his face. Then the mutant smashed him into the ground.

The two of them broke through the cement. The floor crumbled beneath their feet, and Kid Flash and Aqualad tumbled down after the clashing goliaths.

Artemis rushed to the crater's edge, peering down in the darkness for a safe place to land. A javelin hit near where her hand rested. She looked up, dark eyes flashing.

Sportsmaster, who'd leapt from the balcony amidst the chaos, approached her with a javelin in hand. He tsked. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, baby doll. Not unless you want me to tell your friends every dirty little secret. Now I don't think that's what my little girl wants, is it?"

Teeth gritted, Artemis drew her bow and released faster than the eye could blink. Sportsmaster tilted his head to the side and the arrow whizzed past his ear. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Wrong answer."

* * *

Lasers carved deep trenches into the basement walls as Superboy's heat vision chased after Blockbuster. The blue skinned monster rammed into Superboy's side, burying him into the wall. With a crazed shout, Superboy grabbed the mutant under the arms and flew him into the far wall. The building shook. Debris and powdered cement dusted to the floor.

Kid Flash looked up and around in alarm. "Uh, guys! This building isn't gonna last much longer!" he warned.

"Then let us finish this," Aqualad said, summoning swords to his water-bearers.

* * *

The javelin shaft came crashing down. Artemis blocked the overhead blow with the thick of her bow. Their weapons locked. She quivered under Sportsmaster's strength as he pushed the javelin down, forcing her to a knee. Realizing she couldn't win with sheer force, she kicked out, sweeping at his feet. Taking advantage of his lost balance, she rolled back, pulling an arrow from her quiver and firing.

Sportsmaster raised his arm. The arrow bounced off his metal guard with a spark and a grating of steel. Before Artemis could notch a second arrow, he was on his feet and rushing forward. With a swift kick, the bow spiraled out of her hand. Her eyes followed after it. When she looked back, she was met with a punch to the jaw. The blow knocked her to her side. She groaned from the pain, her head light and spinning, but gathered herself to her feet and pulled herself into a fighting stance.

To her surprise, the large man remained perfectly still. A low chuckle escaped him. "Are you really going to fight me, baby girl?" he challenged. When she didn't back down, he added, "You can't beat me. I taught you everything you know."

"Not everything," Artemis said, though her voice wasn't as strong as she intended.

She charged at him, hair flying back, ducking a punch and throwing a jab at his side. He blocked and delivered a swift chop to the back of her head. The force knocked her forward. He brought up a knee and dug it painfully into her gut. She gasped as the wind was pushed from her lungs. He knocked her to the floor as though swatting a fly.

Arms trembling, Artemis pushed herself up, glaring up at the tall man. He crouched low as if to stare her down into the floor. The familiar scent of smoke, leather, alcohol, and home wafted into her senses, surrounding her. "Give it up, sweetpea," he said gently. "No matter how much you fight me, you can't fight _it_."

* * *

Blockbuster lunged forward, throwing his entire weight behind a tempered punch. Aqualad leapt up, landing atop the broken skin of his arm, and brought his swords down. They cut into the creature's ravaged shoulder and he unleashed a cry of pain. Spit flew from his open maw. He flung himself into the wall, sandwiching Aqualad between it and his bulk.

The building shook. Kid Flash stumbled mid run, leaving himself open to the monster's flailing arm. He took the blow in the stomach and was flung across the room.

Superboy pushed aside the rubble that had fallen atop him. Tears cut through his black shirt. A slash severed the S symbol across his chest. Blue eyes, electric with rage, fixated on the rampaging mutant. With a loud cry, he charged, hurling himself into the monster. The both of them crashed to the floor, tangled in a brawl of fist and foot.

Chunks of the roof rained down over their heads.

"We're seriously running out of time!" Kid Flash shouted.

Aqualad pushed himself to his feet and stared up at the shaking building. He turned to Superboy, caught in the heat of battle and unwilling to take orders. "Kid, find Artemis and get yourselves out. I will deal with him."

"Who? Blockbuster or Superboy?"

Pale green eyes narrowed as the Atlantean recharged his water-bearers. "Both," he said. "Do not worry. We will be right behind you."

Kid Flash hesitated and then nodded, realizing there was little he could do with the titans locked in battle. With a blur of yellow and red, he sped up the barely intact stairs to the ground floor of the warehouse.

The concrete floor crumbled under his feet. Pockets of cement shattered and collapsed like thin ice sheets. The walls threatened to break; the roof of the building struggled not to come down. Particles of dust swirled from bottom to top, the flickering light casting brilliant beams through the cloud. Through the sea of dirt, he could make out Sportsmaster's figure holding Artemis by the throat as she wriggled and clawed at his metal hand.

Sportsmaster brought her close and leaned in so that the mouth of his mask was to her ear. Whatever he said made her fall limp. Without warning, he flung her under the balcony where she landed with a crash and a grunt.

Anger flashed like wildfire through his blood. Green eyes narrowed, teeth grit, and hands clenched into tightly balled fists. "Get away from her!" Kid Flash shouted.

Sportsmaster had barely time to turn before the speedster rushed forward and delivered a punch. He deflected it with a forearm, but had no chance to counterattack as another lighting quick blow threatened his side. The attacks were relentless and precise, impossible to track or predict. He blocked every advance, but was slowly being pushed back to the wall.

Kid Flash kicked up, aiming his foot for the side of the hockey mask. Instead, it collided with the plate guard of his arm. Sportsmaster reached around his back and swung out with his hammer. The metal ball hit hard under Kid Flash's jaw, knocking him back and sending him sliding across the floor. Despite the heavy fall, he jumped back to his feet and wiped the blood from the split in his chin.

The ball and chain hummed as it spun in the air. "I have to give you credit. You bite stronger than you bark," Sportsmaster said. "But this is the end of the line, kid." He swung out the hammer.

Kid Flash jumped back, but the ball whooshed past him, instead colliding with the weakened wall and creating a crater. There was a groan of complaint. And then the cracks spread up the wall, branching out like spider webs. The balcony grated as the nails came loose, and then fell with a crash.

"Artemis!" he called out, bringing an arm up to shield himself from the torrent of dust. The building couldn't take anymore. Chunks of the roof caved as the walls gave way.

Sportsmaster stepped back into the murk of dust and debris. "You're fast, kid. But not fast enough to stop me and save your little girlfriend."

Kid Flash could only watch him retreat. He swore under his breath and sped to the balcony wreckage. "Artemis!" he called again.

"Over here!" came a weak reply.

He followed the sound to a plate of ramp. As he pulled it away, the steel grated against the cement. Artemis was on the other side, bruised arms attempting to lift a walkway section from her lap.

Hearing his approach and seeing the light pool in from the absence of the ramp, she glanced back over her shoulder. "My leg's stuck!" she said, voice laced with frustration.

Kid Flash quickly moved in to help, sliding his hands under the cold steel and lifting, arms and back straining from the effort. Together, they pushed the walkway up until her feet were free. She crawled back, and he let go of the steel. It clanged to the floor just as the roof began to crash around their heads.

Taking no time to ask permission, he scooped up the green archer and peddled full speed out of the warehouse. When he reached the docks, he nearly dropped her from the rough stop he pulled.

Once he was steady, he set her down. They watched, her on the ground with her legs splayed at her sides, him clasping his knees and gasping for breath, as the building crumbled into a pile of dust and ruin.

"Where're the others?" Artemis asked with a panicky voice.

Wide eyed, Kid Flash took a step forward, looking desperately from end to end.

Two figures emerged from the settling cloud, one supporting the other. Aqualad approached them, Superboy's arm slung over his shoulder. Pale eyes appraised the both of them.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked.

Kid Flash let out a sigh of relief. "Dude. Not cool. I seriously thought you'd been flattened."

Superboy pulled away, as if suddenly coming to his senses. "Why'd you stop me?" he demanded. "I had him!"

Aqualad glared up at him. "You should not be lecturing me. Not after your actions nearly got us killed."

"Yeah? And how do you figure that?" the teen tested.

"You charged headfirst into battle without any regard for the team's wellbeing." Aqualad turned away from him, instead focusing his attention on Artemis. "But now is not the time to argue. Rest assured, we will discuss this later." He approached the green archer and knelt beside her. Bruises spotted the exposed skin of her arms and torso.

"I'm fine," she insisted, though he hadn't yet asked a question.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she shamefully averted her eyes to the ground. "No, I… think something's wrong with my foot," she admitted quietly, ashamed.

He examined her, bringing his webbed hands over the injury in question, gently pressing through the green boot until she hissed in pain.

"It is sprained. Possibly fractured. We should get you back to the Cave as soon as possible," Aqualad decided. He moved to pick her up.

"No- I'm fine, really!" she protested, raising her hands.

"You cannot walk," he pointed out, lifting her anyway.

She sighed, having no choice but to consent as he carried her off to the Bio-Ship. "Fine. But we're never speaking of this again," she said.

As they walked off, Superboy made as if to follow. Kid Flash quickly stepped in his way, surprising the larger boy. When he saw the aggressive stance and narrowed green eyes, he reciprocated the attitude.

"Move," he said warningly.

"It's not that you brought down a building on us," Kid Flash started, "it's that you charged in blindly and left Artemis alone to deal with Sportsmaster. Every injury she suffered tonight was because of you."

"I didn't mean for that to happen!" Superboy snapped. "Besides, she can take care of herself!"

Kid Flash stared hard at him before turning his back. "Every one of us can hold their own, but we're supposed to be a team. Lately you've proven you're more concerned with yourself."

At first, he made as if to argue, but the anger melted away as the words sunk it. Superboy hung back and ripped the depleted shield from his bicep. He held it out before him, examining the black symbol of Superman. He angrily tossed it to the ground, where it flopped uselessly, and haughtily stalked off.

* * *

Metropolis

January 7th

10:15 AM

"I'm glad you've finally decided to meet with me," Lex Luthor said, folding his hands atop the table between them. "It gives us a chance to talk."

The diner was nearly empty, but public enough for Connor to feel secure.

"That's all I want," the super powered teen said, a little hesitant. "No games, no mind tricks."

"Of course." Lex lifted the white mug of steaming coffee and brought it to his lips. He took a sip, set it down, and smiled. "I imagine you want to talk about Superman?"

Connor narrowed his eyes. "Recently, I've begun to realize… I'm not like him."

"No," Lex agreed, "you're not. You're smart, resourceful. You're willing to get the job done without petty restrictions in order to accomplish what is necessary. You aren't Superman. You're even better."

Connor rubbed the back of his neck. "But if I'm not Superman, who am I? What do I want? All this time, I've aspired to be him or replace him… Is that… really everything I can be?"

Lex paused, inspecting the unsure boy. He reached a hand forward, but kept enough distance as if not to startle him. "I can give you what you need."

Connor unconsciously stared at the small package lying on his side of the table.

"No, not the shields, Connor," Lex said, redirecting his attention. "A father."


	5. Episode Three - Paranoia I

Paranoia Part I

* * *

Mount Justice  
January 12th  
7:25 PM

"You're still covered in bruises," Zatanna observed. She stood over Artemis, who sat on the edge of the magician's bed, and set her hands on her hips.

"I feel fine," Artemis said in an attempt to lighten her friend's mood.

"Really? Because you look pretty banged up to me! Seriously, Artemis, I'm worried about you!" Zatanna joined her on the bed and gave her a look of concern, which wasn't well received. "Talk to me. How'd you get dealt such a beating? You're like the toughest person I know!"

"Look, it was a nasty fight, the whole building was coming down, and I got flattened by a balcony. It's nothing unusual; I mean we all get beaten up pretty badly. Really, it's not a big deal!" Artemis added when she noticed the look of growing horror on her friend's face. She rose from the bed. "Now if you're done interrogating me, I'm going home before my mom throws a fit."

"What's your mom like?" Zatanna asked suddenly, brushing a loose strand of dark hair behind an ear. "You never talk about your life outside of the Team."

Taken off guard, the blonde hesitated and stammered for an answer. "Uh, you know, she's… mom-like… Look, I gotta go!" She slipped out the door before she could be questioned further.

Artemis descended the stairs into the living area, and headed for the hall leading to the Mission Room. Instead of leaving straight for her destination, she came face to face with Wally around the corner of the stairs. They recoiled slightly as they spotted each other and froze like two deer caught in headlights.

"Uh, hey," Wally said awkwardly. His eyes trailed over the purple blotches still present on her arms and the hand mark imprinted around her neck. "Are… Uh, how… are you doing?" he asked, finally meeting her eyes.

"I'm fine. You don't have to try so hard to be nice," Artemis said crossly.

That wasn't quite the response he expected. "Uh whoa, where'd that come from?" he demanded.

She crossed her arms and stood her ground, hip slack, staring at him crossly as if to ask, "Where do you think?"

He cut straight to the chase. "Alright, sure, I was mad about New Orleans," he conceded, throwing his arms up in a mixture of frustration and defeat, "but that doesn't mean I want you to get hurt!"

Her lips fell slack, and she slipped from her haughty stance. '_Great. Now I'm in the wrong and have no idea how to get out of it,' _she thought to herself.

Wally took a tentative step forward, taking a deep breath to calm down. "Okay I'm really not good at this… But I never took back what I said on the Bio-Ship. You're part of this team, and none of us want to see you," he cleared his throat and looked up and away, "uh, any of us, you know, in trouble. Alright?"

She quietly nodded, unable to say anything.

"Good. Then… I'll see you tomorrow." He hurried past her, eager to evacuate the premises, but unaware of where he was even going. Absently hugging her arm, she watched him dart around the corner and up the stairs.

* * *

Arkham Asylum  
January 15th  
7:30 AM

A thin woman wearing a pencil skirt and a white lab coat walked through the halls of the Asylum, her heels clacking against the linoleum. Her Italian skin was tinted a warm olive and she had brown hair pulled tight in a bun and hazel eyes obscured by thin wire glasses. Red gloss painted her lips a bright, wet sheen. She held a clipboard close to her chest.

She suddenly pulled to a stop. The man at her back joined her side and looked curiously down at her. He was tall and slender with lidded blue eyes as cold and clear as ice. Dark feathery hair layered his head and fell around his ears.

"Doctor?" he questioned. His voice was cool and light like a snake in the grass.

"Your appointment is currently being held in cell 27A," the doctor said, passing him the clipboard, eyes focused straight ahead.

A smile spread up the man's chillingly handsome face. "Are you not coming?" he asked with a teasing voice. "You'll miss the show."

The doctor hesitated. "Your patient is… troubled, to say the least."

"Ah, I see." The man circled around and hunched over so that his face was leveled with hers. "You're in a high security ward, there are guards everywhere, and even a wall separates you from him. But despite all these protective measures you won't go near. Fear is a fascinating device, is it not?"

"I couldn't say." The doctor took an uncomfortable step back. "That's your business. Not mine."

The man chuckled and drew himself to full height. "Yes, it is, isn't it? Chin up, doctor. I was only teasing."

"Right…" The doctor turned to leave. "The guard will show you in, Mr. Crane. Good luck."

Dr. Crane grinned to himself as he walked away, absently tapping the clipboard against his shoulder. "Thank you, doctor. I'm sure he'll appreciate the sentiment…"

The guard snapped to full attention at his approach and slid a key card into a console by the cell. A jarring beep sounded and a large red light switched to green. "You're clear to go in, Mr. Crane," he said. "Just let me know when you've had enough crazy and I'll let you out."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about me," Dr. Crane assured, passing into the cell. The guard shut the reinforced door behind him, and the lock clicked into place.

The cell was littered with pictures, posters, and playing cards. Each card, upon closer inspection, displayed only the red queen of hearts. The posters were maniacal and nonsensical, consisting of animals in top hats and tweed parading silly expressions. The pictures were of various young girls, most appearing to be in their teens; some even younger. All were blonde with blue dresses and ribbons or bows in their hair. Each of them had a vacant, empty expression.

"Alice?" A man in an oversized, tattered coat rose from his bed. He wore checkered pants and a large bowtie. Wiry auburn hair stuck up wildly from his head. His expression quickly changed from naïve hopefulness to despair. "Ohhh you're not Alice!" he moaned. "Not Alice at all!"

"No," Dr. Crane agreed, pulling up a chair. The man collapsed back on the bed and held his face in his hands, hunkered over his lap. "My name is Jonathan Crane. But you may call me Dr. Crane. Whatever you're comfortable with."

The grungy man looked up, eyes wide and popping. The stubble on his face was spiky and dirty as though a mutt with mange. "Do you know where Alice is? Is she coming?" he asked with a hushed whisper.

"Perhaps. If you cooperate," Dr. Crane said. He brought the clipboard before him and pulled the glasses hanging from his collar. He slid them on, and read. "Jervis Tetch. Neurotechnician. Operates under the alias the Mad Hatter. Hm. Your passions may be transparent, but your manic behavior doesn't fool me, Mr. Tetch."

"Did Alice put you up to this?" Jervis asked, letting out a chuckle. "She's such a naughty girl, that Alice. Is she here, by any chance? Hiding under the hem of your coat, perhaps? Oh she does like to hide, that Alice!"

"As your newly appointed psychiatrist, I've been granted access to your old research material. I've already taken the liberty of reading your work. Frankly, I find your tutorial on the mind… fascinating. Genius, one might say," Dr. Crane said. He set the clipboard aside, and folded his hands across his lap. "We have similar passions, Mr. Tetch."

"Oh?" Jervis perked up, tilting his head to the side and letting out a split grin. "Do you like Alice as well?" The expression quickly flashed to rage. "Well she's mine! Stay away!" he spat.

Dr. Crane didn't flinch at the sudden outburst. He stared calmly with calculating eyes. "We share an interest in the mind," he clarified. "It is, after all, a powerful tool."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Jervis waved a hand in the air. "The mind is weak! So easy to sway, and prod, and tweak! I couldn't care less about all that speak, I only want Alice, so precious and meek!" A look of bliss passed across his face as he muttered, "Oh my sweet, gently naïve little Alice…"

"Yes, the mind is quite easy to manipulate," Dr. Crane agreed, leaning forward. "Tell me, Mr. Tetch. What is it you fear?"

"Fear? I don't fear anything, not as long as I have Alice! She is all I need, you see, and I all she needs."

Dr. Crane examined the many pictures adorning the wall. "Tell me, Mr. Tetch, and be honest with me, how many Alices have come to pass?"

A look of confusion and hesitancy crept up the wrinkles and folds of stress haunting the mad scientist's face. "Why, there is only Alice," he said as if he were declaring the sky blue. "Only one, special, lovely Alice. Always with me, drinking tea, filled with glee, in our harmony."

"And what happens when Alice decides she doesn't want to take part in your little tea party anymore?" Dr. Crane asked, removing his glasses and wiping the lens with the front of his coat.

Panic flitted across the deranged man's face. "Wha-what do you mean?"

The doctor reaffixed his glasses and leaned closer, eyes glittering under the stark light overhead. "Just how many Alices have you broken?"

"N-no!" Jervis exclaimed in a mad panic, leaping on the bed and darting to the corner, wildly clutching at the walls. His chest heaved up and down as he hyperventilated. "I wouldn't! I never! Not Alice!" he cried. "She would never do that to me!" he suddenly spat, rage flicking across his face.

"Rejection bites hard, doesn't it, Mr. Tetch?" Dr. Crane purred. "It is perfectly understandable to fear such cruelty. While the mind can be easily manipulated, it can also be easily broken. Fear can unravel the most tightly wound folds of sanity and cognitive thought."

"Where is Alice?" Jervis whined, swinging his head side to side, back pressed to the wall as if to melt into its cold embrace. "I want… to see... Alice…"

Dr. Crane rose to his feet and approached the whimpering man. Shadows cast beneath his eyes and hollowed the gaunt below his pronounced cheekbones. "Help me, Mr. Tetch," he spoke slowly, "and you'll have your Alice, personally delivered and wrapped in a nice, neat package. All you have to do is play your part."

Jervis shut his eyes, his bottom lip trembling. Deviating from the Hatter's expectations, Dr. Crane backed off and rapped a knuckle against the cell door.

"Think about it, Mr. Tetch," Dr. Crane said as the beep sounded and the light turned green. He smiled as if to reassure him. "Alice is waiting for you."

* * *

Gotham City  
January 18th  
7:00 PM

'_The plant's empty,' _Robin said through the telepathic link. _'Completely cleared out.'_

'_Whoever was here clearly did not want to be found out,' _Aqualad observed. He looked around the dead factory. It held no trace of recent activity. Zatanna approached his side and informed him her search turned up fruitless. _'Artemis, Miss Martian, investigate the back storage room. Robin, head for security,' _he ordered.

A hidden camera followed their movements, its lens adjusting and readjusting as it worked.

'_Already on it,' _the boy wonder replied. He plugged in his hacking device to the terminal. The screen turned green, indicating access. Grinning like a mischief, he typed into the keyboard. _'They wiped it, but I can use a shadow tracer to recover a cache of back up data. No hard drive is safe from this baby.'_

'_You know __I love it when you talk dirty,' _Kid Flash joked.

'_Oh, grow up,' _Artemis said. She and Miss Martian rifled through the backroom, but it was nothing but bare racks, stray supplies, and cardboard boxes. _'We're coming up empty on our end,' _she reported.

'_I found something!' _Robin declared. In a flurry, Kid Flash was at his side, hovering over his shoulder to get a look.

"A list of deliveries?"Kid Flash asked aloud.

'_A shipping manifest. With this we can track where the Fear-Venom was sent!' _Robin said excitedly. _'I've already uploaded it… It looks like the most recent shipment was sent to a place called… Dante's Divinity… Huh. Never heard of it, but I've got the address right here.'_

'_Sounds like we found exactly what we came for,' _Aqualad said. _'Team, move out.'_

A hissing interrupted them. Smoke poured in from the vents, seeping into the storage room. Artemis and Miss Martian coughed, covering their mouths with their arms. "Get out!" Artemis shouted. "Now!"

They evacuated the storage unit, leaving it behind in a plume of gas, and joined the Team outside.

Miss Martian cleared her scratchy throat and rubbed at the irritated spot. "What was that?" she demanded hoarsely.

"Knock-out gas, tear gas, poison… Whatever it was, it didn't seem to have an effect on either of you," Robin observed, looking them over. His gaze hovered on Zatanna. "Is… everyone else okay?"

Zatanna looked away, but Kid Flash replied, "Yeah, looks like none of us were hit."

"And I feel fine," Artemis assured.

"Then let us return to the task at hand," Aqualad said. "Robin, lead us to our next location.

* * *

Dante's Divinity turned out to be a flashy club located in the heart of Gotham. Pulsing lights of red, blue, and purple emanated from within. The thumping of electronic music beat like the pulse of a racing heart.

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Artemis said from their vantage point across the street.

"We need to blend in," Robin said. "There's no way we're getting in dressed as we are."

"I dunno," Kid Flash peered over at a group wearing mismatched clothes and clashing colors, "some of these clowns look pretty ridiculous."

"Leave that to me," Zatanna said, stepping forward. She raised her hands over her head, fingers curving up as they stretched out. "Bulc eritta!"

Threads of purple energy swirled around them. As it passed over the guys, their uniforms transformed into casual clothes fitting for a club. Zatanna's uniform changed into a black dress, while Artemis's was shifted into a green one.

"Typically I like to wear pants," Artemis complained, tugging at the hem of her new outfit.

"Sorry. Next time I'll just conjure up a whole wardrobe," Zatanna suggested sarcastically.

"Whoa," Wally said, looking down at the jeans and jacket he was suddenly wearing. "I feel sort of violated, yet I'm strangely okay with it. I'm guessing it's some kind of light reflection to trick our eyes into seeing a projected image?"

"Sure, whatever," Zatanna dismissed. She looked over Miss Martian, who hadn't changed a bit. "Sorry… I don't think my spell effects Martian clothes."

In answer, Miss Martian morphed into a Caucasian and shaped her organic clothes into a small red dress. "Is… this good enough?" she asked nervously.

The others seemed to think so. "Babe, it's better than good," Kid Flash said dreamily. Robin delivered a corrective elbow into his side. "Ow! Hey!" he muttered, rubbing the wound.

"If we are done," Kaldur interrupted, "then let us proceed."

The line in front of the club passed quickly. When it was their turn to be appraised, the suited bouncer held up a large hand and stopped them. "Hold it," he said gruffly, staring down at them from behind his shades. "You're not members."

Robin stepped forward. "No, we heard about this place from a friend and had to check it out," he explained.

The bouncer raised a brow. "Really?" he said mockingly. "Nice try, buddy." He jabbed a finger at the three girls. "They can go in. The rest of you, scram."

"What? That's ridiculous!" Wally complained.

The bouncer smirked. "Try wearing a short dress, kid. Maybe then we'll let you in." Robin chuckled at that. "And you. Yeah, the little one. Your mom drop you off or did you come all the way here on your tricycle?" he asked.

The both of them glared at the bouncer, steaming from the demeaning insults.

'_It cannot be helped,' _Aqualad said through the link. _'You three go on ahead. Maintain telepathic contact at all times. Miss Martian, set up a direct visual feed so we can offer guidance and support. And should anything go wrong, we will be close at hand.'_

'_Don't worry, we can handle ourselves,' _Artemis said. _'We'll be in and out before you know it.'_

The three boys retreated into the shadows, and the three girls entered the club where they were met with blaring lights and ear numbing music.


	6. Episode Three - Paranoia II

Paranoia Part II

* * *

Dante's Divinity  
January 18th  
8:15 PM

"This… is not like the clubs on TV," Megan said breathlessly, staring in awe at the beating strobe and neon lights flashing in the darkly lit room. Bodies, painted with glowing colors, mashed and rolled in a sea of pandemonium.

"What?" Zatanna shouted over the music. "Did you say something?"

"Oh, sorry."

"What?"

"I said, 'OH, SORRY'!" the Martian yelled in the magician's ear.

Zatanna flinched and quickly covered the offended ear. "Ah! Jeez, okay!"

'_If you want to talk, just do it over the link,' _Artemis suggested. She advanced towards the bar, looking back at the other two. _'Come on. We need to find the Fear-Venom, right?'_

They exchanged a determined glance and then followed her to a small area for resting and drinking. All but one of the velvet booths was taken. Artemis claimed it, and the other two sat across her.

'_Can you see any signs of the venom?' _Aqualad asked.

'_Umm…´_ Megan scanned the area, craning her neck to get a look at the other patrons. Most of them consisted of guys hoping to score and chatty girls who weren't interested in the slightest.

The boys outside watched from Megan's perspective.

'_Dude. This is so weird,' _Kid Flash commented. _'I mean it's not like I've never imagined what it's like to be a girl, but…'_

'_Dude! Seriously creepy!' _Robin complained.

"Hey, baby!" a man greeted.

Megan turned to the source of the noise. A man sporting a suit had slipped into the empty booth next to Artemis. He threw an arm back around the seat and leaned back with a cocky smirk. His face was tinged red and the whites of blue eyes were discolored yellow.

Artemis scrunched up her nose at the offending sweaty smell he radiated. "Get lost," she said.

"Aww don't be like that!" He moved in closer, but she shot him down with a glare, stopping him in his tracks. He tried a different approach. "You know, I don't think I've seen you here before. I would remember such a pretty face." His eyes, however, were focused on anything but.

Kid Flash started laughing. _'What is he, blind?' _

___'Oh, like you're one to talk!' _ Artemis snapped, her voice an octave higher.

'_He is wasting valuable time. Get rid of him,' _Aqualad ordered.

"Hey, creep, she told you to scram!" Zatanna slapped a hand on the table. "So scram!"

'_Hey, don't draw attention to us!' _Megan worriedly looked around as passersby glanced their way. Her eyes passed a door guarded by two bouncers and a velvet rope divider.

'_Wait, what was that?' _Robin asked. _'Go back!'_

Her attention was instead drawn to the man, who still hadn't left. "Come on, don't be like that. You're new here, right? I can show you a good time!" He put a hand to his chest. "I'm a regular, you know. Hell, I'm practically Dante himself!"

Artemis looked ready to shove him out of the booth.

'_Don't cause a scene!' _Zatanna warned. That seemed to calm her down. She instead huffed and scooted further into the corner, turning her eyes elsewhere.

'_Seriously, what was that door?' _Robin asked.

___'Hm? You mean this door?' _Megan looked back at the guarded entry.

'_Yeah. Hmm… Looks like a private lounge,' _Robin mused. _'I'll bet you anything that's where the Fear-Venom is!'_

'_Of course it wouldn't just be lying around for anyone to see!' _Kid Flash agreed. _'Guys, uh girls, you have to find a way in!'_

'_They won't just let anyone in,' _Artemis argued, gathering Megan's attention. _'Check out the bouncer. It looks like it's for listed guests only…' _Her eyes slid to the side where the man was still arguing and boasting about his status in the club. She moved in closer to him.

'_Uh… what're you doing?' _Kid Flash asked nervously.

'_Artemis?' _Zatanna raised a brow while Megan watched in shock.

"You're right, we did come here for a good time," Artemis set, setting a light hand on his arm. He grinned, puffing up with giddy arrogance.

"Yeah? I can help with that," he promised.

"Oh really?" she smiled tantalizingly and tilted her head to the side, staring up at him past hooded lids.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped. It wasn't quite a sight he'd been expecting from three inexperienced teenagers. He'd only hoped to chat up some easily impressed girls, but this was a dream come true. "Y-yeah…"

"Well, the whole reason we came here was to get into the private lounge... But we're not allowed in."

Eagerness flared in the man's opportunistic eyes. "Baby, you came to the right guy," he said smoothly. "Lucky for you, I'm a valued member of the private lounge!"

'_Holy crap, you're brilliant!' _Zatanna cheered.

The guys didn't seem to agree.

'_Just how old is this creep?' _Robin muttered.

'_Dunno, but it looks like he doesn't brush his teeth,' _Kid Flash observed icily.

'_What does that have to do with anything?' _Zatanna demanded.

'_The guy just seems seedy, that's all!'_ he said quickly.

'Artemis, d_o not take the riskiest route solely because it's the quickest. There are other methods of gaining entry,' _Aqualad said.

'_Sorry Aqualad, but this is our best chance,' _Artemis argued as the girls followed the excitedly grinning man out of the booth. She walked at his side while the other two followed behind, Megan hesitantly so. _'Besides, I can deal with this loser.'_

Said loser snaked an arm around the small of her back, attempting to sneak down even lower. She stiffened, and pushed his hand away. "Erm... don't you think you should show us the lounge first?" she said, looking up at him and forcing an appealing and promising smile.

Annoyance flashed across his eyes. He seemed disappointed, but silently agreed to behave.

Everyone was silent for a moment. Finally, Aqualad spoke, _'As your leader, I cannot allow you to go through with this. It is too dangerous.'_

'_Would you guys just relax already?' _Zatanna snapped. _'You seriously don't need to baby us. We've got each other's backs. The moment he tries anything, he's toast.'_

'_And just what else are you gonna let him try?' _Kid Flash demanded.

'_Once we're in the lounge, he won't get away with anything like that again,' _Artemis said with a venomous tone. _'Trust me.'_

When they realized how little arguing was going to accomplish, they stopped trying.

'_Just be careful,' _Aqualad said. _'Should anything go wrong, escape is your top priority.'_

'_I… Understood,' _Artemis said, though somewhat reluctantly.

While the dance floor was filled with color and music, the private lounge was hazy and every inch was lined with red and gold.

"Welcome to the _real_ Dante's Divinity," the man said, taking them through into its center. The seats were plush and occupied by groups of young adults and rich men with scantily clad escorts. He led them to an empty table, and they all took a seat.

Megan looked around until she spotted a table surrounded by a group of young adults. Vials of purple liquid were scattered about, some already empty.

_'Is that…?' _she started to wonder. _'Everyone, I think we've found what we're looking for.'_

'_Jackpot,' _Robin said. _'It's definitely Elixir. Try to find out as much as you can. We may be able to back track shipments to different locations and put them out of business.'_

'_Or find proof of Hamilton's involvement,' _Kid Flash chimed.

"Looks like they're having fun," Artemis said to the man, pointing out the young group.

"Hm? Who, you mean them? Yeah, they're here all the time. That new Elixir stuff's really drawn in a crowd," the man explained. He eyed her curiously. "Why? You interested?"

"Hm. Maybe," Artemis said coyly. "What does it do?"

"Aw man, it's incredible!" the man said eagerly, leaning forward. "Your blood boils, everything feels light, and it gets inside your head and rips it apart, you know?"

"Err… yeah," Artemis said.

'_It's official. This guy's nuts,' _Robin said.

"Wow, I haven't heard of anything like that," Zatanna said hesitantly. "Sounds awesome… Err… Where does it come from?"

"Ah, the club gets it from some distributor," the man dismissively waved a hand through the air. "The thing you should know is that I can get it at a discount price."

The beginnings of a headache throbbed against Artemis's skull. She irritably rubbed her head, blaming the music, glaring lights, and the annoying man. She shoved the sick feeling aside. "How'd you manage that?" she asked.

Megan grumbled across her, putting a hand to her brow. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. Zatanna looked to her worriedly. "Hey, are you feeling alright?" she whispered, lightly touching her shoulder.

The image feed began to distort and shimmer.

_'Miss M, what is your status?' _Aqualad asked, quick to notice something was off.

'_I- I don't know! I'm fine!' _But her voice was panicky, undermining the validity of her assurance.

'_Dammit,' _Kid Flash hissed. _'Something's not right.'_

As their link with Megan faltered, a static irritation buzzed in their heads, disrupting their thoughts.

"Hey, you wanna have a good time, and that's cool," the man said. "But that works both ways, alright? You've gotta show me a little something too."

Artemis scowled and grumbled a protest. The room began to tilt side to side. Pain stabbed into her head like a nail being hammered to her skull. She winced. A rough hand cupped her face and tilted it up. Her heart began to beat rapidly. A paralyzing fear crippled her nerves.

'_What're you waiting for? Knock his teeth out already!' _Kid Flash said.

"Hey! Get off her!" Zatanna snapped, roughly shoving him from across the table.

"What the hell, bitch?" the man spat as his back slammed against the seat.

Megan looked around, her breathing rapid. Through her fuzzy vision, the others saw armed men appear from the back room. The other patrons screamed and ducked to the floor.

"Whoa! S-shit!" The man fell back over the edge of his seat.

"They're here, but there's a third we didn't count on," one of the guards said to his radio. "Understood. We'll eliminate them." He motioned the others, and they raised their guns.

Artemis and Miss Martian slumped over the table, shivering.

"You guys, snap out of it!" Zatanna leapt up as the men advanced. Normally they wouldn't be a problem, but she had two downed team members she had to protect. She threw her hands out, palms vertical. "Dliehs!" A shimmering diamond barrier appeared, covering them as a spray of bullets rained against its defense.

The feed cut out.

* * *

Patrons poured out of the club like ants, racing down the street as far as their legs would take them. The people in line soon followed suit, swept up by the infectious panic.

Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Robin came to. They had collapsed from the sudden violent end of their link with Megan.

"Uhhn... What the hell happened?" Kid Flash groaned, rubbing his head.

"There's no time to talk about it, they're in danger!" Robin said, bracing a hand against the wall as he staggered to his feet. "Come on!"

They met no resistance as they hurried to the private lounge. Inside, Zatanna had been forced on the defensive as she protected an unconscious Artemis and Megan. Robin grappled one of the guns and yanked it free from its owner's grip. Kid Flash sped into another group, knocking them to the ground and sending their weapons flying. Aqualad surprised the remaining gunmen with a torrent of water and a surge of electricity, effectively knocking them unconscious.

Zatanna hurried over to Artemis and gently shook her shoulder. The others approached, Robin checking Megan's vitals. "She's in shock," he told the others bewilderedly.

"Why? What's wrong with them?" Kid Flash asked. He frowned. "Hey, wait a minute, weren't they the only ones exposed to the gas? Back at the plant?"

"Yeah…" Robin frowned, setting a knuckle to his chin. He examined the girls. Both of them had broken into a cold, shivering sweat. Their eyes darted from behind their lids. "I've seen these symptoms before... And if Crane's involved, that can only mean… We have to get them to Batman!" he exclaimed.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Rob!" Kid Flash said, setting a hand on his shoulder.

As if answering the sudden shouting, the two girls stirred. Megan groaned and slowly lifted her heavy lids. She saw everyone staring down at her, only their faces held nothing but disgust and repulsion. Shocked, she looked down at her hands. A wail escaped her and she curled up into herself. "No! Don't look at me!" she cried.

The others were taken aback. Robin set a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Miss M, it's us! Calm down!"

"What's wrong?" Kid Flash asked.

Zatanna cried out as she was suddenly shoved to the floor. Artemis leapt up to the table, legs bent as if to pounce, hindered by the dress stretched around her. She glared at each of them and gritting her teeth. She whipped out the crossbow strapped to her leg and fired. The bolt exploded in a flurry of smoke.

The others erupted into a fit of coughs. Aqualad attempted to intercept her as she bolted for the door. He was knocked aside by a spinning roundhouse kick. The acrobatic maneuver sent a rip up the dress's hem. In her mad stupor, she didn't seem to care. Artemis fled, her hair streaming wildly along after her.

"Dammit, what the hell?" Kid Flash demanded through the coughing. The smoke cleared.

"Go after Artemis!" Robin ordered desperately. "I'll take Miss M to the Batcave!"

"Calm down, Rob," Aqualad said. "We will find her."

Robin threw out his hands. "You don't understand! If left untreated, Dr. Crane's toxin will eventually deteriorate her mind. Permanently. And we don't even know how long she has!"

"You're saying they'll stay crazy?" Kid Flash clarified. He frowned and looked worriedly at the shut down, muttering Martian. "Alright. Get Megan treated and we'll handle the rest."

* * *

The Bio-Ship shot through the air. Megan had slipped into an unconscious state, but was still mumbling desperately and struggling against the chair straps. It was lucky she had not yet mastered her uncle's density shifting ability, or Robin feared she would sink right through the ship's hull.

"Robin to Batcave," Robin said through his radio.

It fizzed slightly, and then clicked.

"Is there something you require, Master Dick?" Alfred asked.

"Alfred, I need you to contact Batman. Two of my teammates have been infected with Crane's fear toxin. They need to be treated immediately!"

"Very well. Though I'm sure Bruce Wayne will be disappointed to miss Mayor Dent's charity auction."

"I'm sure he'll get over it," Robin said, relieved. "I'll be there soon."

* * *

Zatanna flew above a fleeing Artemis, raising her hands. "Erut- Ahh!"

The archer swung around and fired a bolt. It exploded into green polyurethane foam that quickly consumed the startled girl. Her mouth covered, she was unable to cast a spell, and fell uselessly to the ground.

Artemis dashed into an alleyway, pursued by Kid Flash.

"I'm on her trail," he said on the radio. "But Zatanna's down."

"Understood. I'll head her off," Aqualad responded.

Artemis fired another arrow, this time at the ground ahead of where Kid Flash was running. A spray of oil shot out.

"Oh shi-" His feet slipped out from under him. He fell to his stomach and went spinning past the archer.

Artemis darted into a side passage, but was intercepted by Aqualad, who leapt down from the roof. He drew his water-bearers. "Artemis, stop," he said.

Fear flashed in her dark eyes. She raised her crossbow, arm trembling. A cold sweat had collected on her paled skin. Aqualad lowered his weapons and cautiously took a step forward.

"You have no reason to shoot," he said gently, palms facing her. "I am not going to hurt you."

Her eyes sharpened. She fired. Bolas whipped through the air and snapped around his arms and side. As he struggled to break free, she slipped away, vanishing into the night washed streets.

* * *

Megan laid across a metal table, Batman hovering over her. He took the treatment from its slot in the computer and drew the proper dosage. After expelling the air from the syringe, he inserted the needle into the girl's arm and administered the cure.

The Martian visibly relaxed and her breathing calm. She slipped from feverish nightmares into a deep sleep.

His job complete, Batman turned to Robin.

"Will she be okay?" Robin asked.

"It took awhile to develop due to her Martian physiology, but the cure will heal her," Batman said. "What about the second victim? Alfred told me two of you had been infected."

Robin hesitated. "Yeah, Artemis. She… ran off," he sighed. "I think she thought we were going to attack her. What I can't figure out is _why_."

Batman was silent for a moment. "There's a reason she so desperately wants to keep her identity a secret."

"What do you mean?"

"Now isn't the time to analyze her psyche, Robin," Batman redirected. He held out a vial containing the treatment. "If she doesn't get this, her mind will be lost."

Grim faced, Robin took the cure. "Yeah, I understand…"

Once aboard the Bio-Ship, he radioed the others. "Aqualad, I have the cure. What's your status?"

"I am afraid we have lost her," he replied, sounding ashamed.

The whites of Robin's mask narrowed.

"She effectively evaded us, and we have no means of tracking her down…"

"That's okay," Robin said calmly, surprising the Team's leader. "Just stay traught. I'll take it from here."

* * *

Artemis clung to the wall, dragging herself along. Her limbs shook, coated in a sheen of sweat. She shivered, half from cold and half from fear. The alley seemed to tower above her and close in, casting angled shadows that threatened to box her shut. She groaned, shutting her eyes, wanting to sink to her knees and hide. But she couldn't. She had to get to safety.

Forcing her eyes open, she looked around. She was close to her neighborhood. Headlights flooded through the gaps in the buildings. She shied away, back pressed against the rough brick. Her heart raced, but it felt faint and fluttering.

"Just… a little… further…" she said weakly, her fingers loosening around the crossbow. Her legs dipped as the strength to carry herself drained away.

Another car passed, illuminated the shadowy form of a boy. She gasped and brought her weapon up to meet him. The last bolt fired, but was easily sliced down the middle by a birdarang.

She fell to her knees, staring up as the boy advanced. "P-please… don't… not my… fault…" Her words trailed off into an intelligible murmur. Her eyes fluttered shut and she fell forward.

Robin quickly caught her, dropping to a knee. He took out the cure from his belt and administered it to her arm. The shot hissed slightly as it injected its contents into her bloodstream. "Come on," he muttered, feeling her burning brow and listening to the shallow struggle of her breathing.

Gradually, her skin cooled and her breathing evened. Robin released a sigh of relief and picked up the unconscious archer. His gloved hand brushed against the bare underside of her thigh. He awkwardly cleared his throat, grateful the others weren't around to take note of his embarrassment.

He took her home, careful to avoid any unwanted or curious eyes. Propping her with one arm and leaning back to keep her from slipping, he knocked on the door to her house. It was answered by a Vietnamese woman in a wheelchair. Robin instantly recognized her as Paula Crock, the villainess once known as Huntress.

Paula gasped at the sight of her unconscious daughter. "Artemis!"

"May I come in?" Robin asked. "I'll explain everything."

Though she was clearly shocked, the ex-villain wheeled to the side, allowing him to enter. She swiftly shut the door and demanded, "What happened?"

"She's fine, I promise," Robin assured. "She was infected with a fear based toxin- but she's already been treated," he added at the distraught expression on her face. "She just needs to sleep it off."

"I- of course, her room's this way." Paula led him to a modest room with two beds and a dresser. When he walked in, he curiously took note of the Alice and Wonderland poster hung on the side wall. "The bed on the left is hers." He wordlessly set Artemis down, who was now deep in a peaceful sleep, and then turned to her mother.

"Sorry about this," he apologized. "But it's best if you didn't tell her I was here."

Paula inspected him apprehensively, but conceded. "I understand… You're her teammate, right? Robin? I know Artemis doesn't want any of you to know about me…" She worriedly looked over to her sleeping daughter, her face crinkled in a frown. "You're sure she's alright?"

"Yeah. I promise."

"And… why is she wearing that dress?" Paula asked sternly.

"Uhh…" Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Undercover investigation. It's an even longer story, trust me."

Paula sighed and closed her eyes. "Alright... I know Artemis lives a strange life... Thank you for bringing her home."

Robin made as if to leave, but turned back halfway through the door. "I know you're probably worried, but don't be. We'll take care of her."

"Worried?" Paula smiled. "No, not at all. I want this for her."

Robin returned the smile, a little taken aback by her sentiment, and left the house.

* * *

Arkham Asylum  
January 19th  
1:00 AM

A man wearing a tattered, fringed burlap mask stood in the middle of a room walled with giant monitors. White silhouettes stared down at him.

"You've certainly proven your usefulness to our cause and your allegiance to the Light," a charismatic voice stated.

"Although things did not entirely go according to plan, you put on quite a show for us, Scarecrow," a disciplined voice said amusedly.

"Yes, I didn't expect they'd send the youngest girl into the club... It threw off my plan, but it turned out to be quite an enlightening experiment in the end," Scarecrow agreed. A stitched smile spread across his mask. "After all, fear is a fascinating device."


	7. Episode Four - Permafrost I

Permafrost Part I

* * *

Gotham City  
January 19th  
9:30 AM

"Robin?" Artemis awoke with a start, shooting up from the bed. She looked around confusedly, noticing that she was back in her room. Groaning, she gingerly set a hand against her brow. She felt completely drained.

"Artemis! What's wrong?" Her mother wheeled into her room, a look of panic on her face.

"Nothing," Artemis assured groggily, sliding off the bed. She looked down at herself, noticing that her legs and arms were bare. She was still wearing the same green dress from the previous night, although it was torn. "Uh… What happened?" she asked.

"That's what I would like to ask you," Paula said. "Do you realize how late you were coming home last night?"

"Yeah but I was on a mission," Artemis argued. She hesitated as the memories began trickling in, struggling like a clogged tap. "Something went wrong and I saw…" She rubbed her aching head, wondering if that part was a dream. "No… I… came home?"

"Yes. And after midnight, I might add," her mother said with a frown. "I'm going to have a talk with you tonight, Artemis. Understood?"

"Tonight?" Artemis echoed.

"Well, yes." Paula wheeled out of the room. "Right now, don't you have someplace to be?"

* * *

Mount Justice  
January 19th  
10:30 AM

Megan sat with Connor on the couch in the living quarters. "I should've been there," Connor insisted, his grip tightening slightly on her hand.

"Connor, I'm fine. You're my boyfriend, not my babysitter. Besides, all's well that ends well, right?" she said cheerfully.

He wasn't so easily convinced. "If Kaldur hadn't made me sit out…" he grumbled. "Damn it. This is his fault."

"Hey," she set a hand against his face, "this is no one's fault, okay? Your training with Black Canary is important. Plus the toxin wasn't even in me that long. Batman administered a cure right away."

Connor sighed in resignation, and then smiled at his girlfriend, placing a hand atop hers. "I'm just glad you're okay," he said softly.

"Me too," she agreed with a small smile.

Wally walked by the back of the couch, casting the happy couple a sordid glare as he made his way to the kitchen. Robin soon joined him, sporting a green shirt, black jacket, and his usual shades. He took a seat on the bar stool, watching his friend pig out before grabbing a nearby magazine.

"Hey, did you hear from Flash?" he asked, rifling through the laminated pages.

"Uh you'll have to be more specific," Wally said, his cheeks puffed with food. "The guy talks nonstop."

"Batman told me this morning," Robin continued. "Hawkman and Hawkwoman's son has gone missing. The League's running around trying to find him."

Wally spewed out the cereal he'd been munching on. "What? No way! …Who's he again?"

"Ugh, dude!" Robin complained, grossed out. "You know who Hawkboy is! You've seen him on the news only a billion times."

"Yeah, because I'm totally not too busy being on the news to actually watch it... Look, the guy probably just got tired of being back seated and ran off to take it solo," Wally said. "I'm sure he's fine."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Robin said. If the hawk had run away, he couldn't entirely blame him for it.

"Where's Kaldur?" Wally asked, popping more food into his mouth.

"He hit the gym after training," Robin said. He broke out a smile. "Where else would he be?"

"Che, yeah, when does he ever have fun?"

"Who knows? Maybe Atlanteans don't understand the concept."

Artemis walked in from the stairs, dressed in a black turtleneck and brown pants. "There you guys are," she said, looking around at them. "Training already done?"

"Artemis!" Megan cried, bounding off the couch and throwing her arms around her. "I was so worried!"

"Hi, Megan," Artemis said, awkwardly returning the hug. "I'm fine..."

"What the hell happened to you?" Wally demanded, speeding over. "Robin would only tell us that he administered the cure."

"Cure?" Artemis repeated uncomfortably, gently removing herself from the overjoyed Martian. The memories from last night slowly seeped in as though the rusty faucet had finally been cranked on. "That's right," she mused. "It was that gas from the plant, wasn't it?"

Megan released her. "Yes!" she said. "We were both affected. Robin told me it was a fear toxin made by a chemist named Jonathan Crane. It activated while we were in the lounge, forcing us to live our greatest fears."

"Oh. Yeah, I think I remember something like that happening," Artemis said with an awkward laugh.

"So? What made you so scared you had to attack all of us?" Wally demanded. "I'm majorly bruised because of you!"

"Oh, uh… When I was little, I watched this horror movie with my s- uhm- friends, and I've been scared of zombies ever since," Artemis explained, averting her eyes to the side.

"Seriously?" He scrutinized her, and then let out a laugh. "Ooh!" He wiggled his fingers at her. "I'm going to eat your braaaains!"

"Hmm. You've got the mindless part right. You just actually need to be, you know, threatening," she said.

Offended at the jab, he dropped the act, settling for glaring at her instead.

She pushed past him, walking over towards Robin, who warily inspected her approach. "Hey. I thought I remembered seeing you last night, and Wally just said you cured me. What happened, exactly?" she asked.

Robin was quick with his tongue. "I managed to administer the cure, but you ran off before it activated," he explained with a shrug. "I seriously have no idea where you went after that."

The others watched the two of them, curious and suspicious of the strange circumstances. Artemis was the most suspicious of them all. However, something in her made her back off. A part of her really didn't want to learn what about her the enigmatic boy knew. "So, that's what happened?" she said, half to herself. "Well thanks, I guess." She turned her back. "I… better get some training in before noon, or Kaldur will kill me."

The others watched her leave. Robin returned to his magazine. "Is it just me, or was that really weird?" Wally wondered aloud.

* * *

Siberian Tundra  
February 10th  
6:00 PM

Snow blew across the golden grassland, swirling up as it struck the rock. The strong wind rushed through the camp, chilling the guards and miners to the bone.

A woman stood near the entrance to the mountainside cave. She was tall and pencil thin, wearing a thick white jacket. The fur lining the hood whipped madly about in the wind. She was stark white with sharp features consisting of a long nose, pointed chin, and high cheekbones. Wisps of white hair blew around her face, tendrils snaking from beyond the lip of the hood. Pale pink eyes watched eerily from the shadows.

"I want this tunnel dug deeper!" she called out to the miners, whose hands were freezing as they worked their shovels and picks. "It's close… I know it."

From above the mountain ledge, a pair of sharp eyes watched them work. The figure signaled a hand in the air, and the wildmen massed at his back.

* * *

Mount Justice  
February 11th  
3:30 PM

The Team gathered in the Mission Room, listening intently as Batman relayed his orders. A blizzard rampaged on the computer screen, swirling around a treeless and mountainous land.

"We've acquired satellite image of illegal mining taking place near the coastal region of the Siberian Tundra," Batman explained, showing them the footage.

Through the white veil, the blurry image of machinery and canvas tents could be made out.

"So what's the problem?" Kid Flash asked. "The only thing to be mined out there is gold. Are B-List fortune-seeking villains seriously worth our attention?"

"We're not sure who's operating the camp, only that what they're mining for isn't gold," Batman said. He pulled out a gray rock from his utility belt. Small, flashing white crystals protruded from its jagged surface like sugar cubes.

"Huh, I've never seen anything like that before," Kid Flash mused. As he looked it over, an excited gleam lit up in his eyes.

"Batman, what is that?" Robin asked in awe.

"A newly discovered natural element with unknown properties," Batman revealed.

Kid Flash gawped at him. "Wait, what?" he demanded. "That's impossible! How would a naturally formed rock like this not have been discovered?"

"Assuming this rock formed on earth, it would have," Batman said. "However, my analysis reveals properties similar to the Nth Metal found on Thanagar."

"You mean the material Hawkwoman's mace is comprised of?" Kid Flash asked. "How'd something like that end up buried in the Siberian Tundra?"

"There is evidence of Thanagarians interacting with ancient civilizations," Batman explained. "If this new element is indeed Thanagarian, they themselves might have brought it to earth. No matter the how, the element is there, and I want the matter investigated. Aqualad, you will deliver a sample to Atlantis for the scientists there to study." Aqualad nodded in understanding. "Kid Flash, I want you to remain in the cave and test the element."

"Why don't we just ask Mr. and Mrs. Hawk?" Kid Flash asked.

"I already have. They are unfamiliar with the element's properties and no longer have any ties to their home planet. They cannot help us, but you and Zatanna might be able to," Batman said.

"Alright, I get it, but… why Zatanna?" Kid Flash asked, wondering if he'd heard correctly.

"The Nth Metal is known to disrupt magic, so this one may react to it in some way as well," Robin explained, catching on to his mentor's intentions.

"Come on," Kid Flash scoffed at the thought. "Nth Metal probably works similar to Beryllium. Or, rather than heat transfer, it absorbs the charge out of something. Seriously, dude. Chemical reactions are _not _magic!"

"That's why I want the both of you to work on it. Since we don't know anything about it, it is necessary to test both its scientific and magical properties," Batman explained.

Kid Flash opened his mouth to rant about how there was no such thing as magical properties, but was quickly silenced by a stern look from the dark knight.

"Robin, take Miss Martian, Artemis, and Red Arrow to investigate the mining operation. Your goal is to uncover their goal, any helpful research on the element, and potential affiliation with the enemy," Batman instructed.

"Wait, you want me to lead?" Robin asked with a hopeful grin. "Are you serious?"

"Did I stutter?"

The grin vanished from his face and he straightened his back. "No, sir." Wally held back a laugh, earning a betrayed glower from his friend.

* * *

Siberian Tundra  
February 12th  
12: PM

The Bio-Ship shook from the heavy turbulence. Snow crashed against the windshield. Artemis nervously clung to the armrests of her seat. Red Arrow sat calm and collected with one leg crossed over the other, unfazed by the rocky motions. The Team was suited up for the cold climate, garbed in white thermal pants, jackets, gloves, waterproof boots, and goggles.

The Bio-Ship was knocked to the side, her wing skimming an icy peak. Miss Martian gasped from the shock delivered to both her and the organic entity.

'_This wind is too much for her,' _she said. _'I'm sorry. I have to take her down.'_

Robin thought for a moment. _'Go ahead. We're close enough to the target. Besides, this low visibility is too dangerous now that we're in the mountains.'_

The Bio-Ship settled down on a small clearing surrounded by rocks, sweeping the dusty snow up around it. As soon as the Team disembarked, they were hit with the freezing cold of below zero temperature. The ground crunched beneath their feet, the frozen soil hard and packed tight.

Robin pulled out a device from his utility belt. A radar scanner flashed on a green screen. _'The camp is northeast of our position, just about three klicks away,' _he reported. _'Hope you're all up for a little hike?' _

'_Come on, we should move quickly. Unless you want to freeze to death,' _Red Arrow said, charging on ahead.

Robin frowned, miffed at the other boy for taking the lead, but followed along. The radar guided them deeper into the mountains, where the terrain became steep and uneven and the blizzard grew so thick they could barely see their own feet. Miss Martian stretched out her hand. The glove before her was foggy, consumed by the white murk.

'_We should stay closer together,' _Miss Martian suggested. _'I can't see any of you.'_

Artemis walked up beside her, rubbing her arms furiously. _'It's freezing! I can't even feel my face!' _she complained. Sure enough, her skin was white and her lips tinted a faint blue.

'_Tuck your hands under you arms,' _Robin said, appearing out of nowhere. _'Hugging yourself like that won't retain any heat.'_

'_Who made you the expert?' _she tested, but did as he suggested anyway.

'_Is it really that cold?' _Miss Martian asked curiously, tilting her head to the side.

The other two threw her a look that clearly asked, "Are you serious?"

She shrugged helplessly. _'It's always like this on Mars. Guess I'm just used to it.' _

Red Arrow emerged from the snow. _'I found a cave up ahead. We may need to hole up there until the storm settles.'_

'_What about the mission?' _Robin asked. _'We came to investigate, not have a campout.'_

'_Hey, if you wanna try seeing anything through this blizzard, be my guest. Besides, it's not like the enemy's going anywhere.'_

Robin let out a sigh, which went unheard over the harsh blow of the wind, and conceded. _'Fine. Lead the way.'_

The roar of the wind buffeted their ears. The cold bit into any bit of exposed flesh, taking no mercy in numbing their nose, lips, and ears. Miss Martian ducked her head as a particular strong gust blew her way, knocking the hood from her head. Her red hair billowed free. She wildly looked up and around. No one was in sight.

'_Guys?' _she asked. _'Where are you? Answer me!' _She began to panic, and whirled in a full circle. _'I-I can't sense you anywhere!'_

"Your friends aren't in this dimension anymore," a woman said. Her voice seemed to transcend the growling air.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Miss Martian shouted. She pulled herself into a fighting stance, her eyes burst into a piercing white.

A tall lithe woman approached, dressed in thick clothes very similar to their own. White hair blew around her face, teasing and mingling with the flurry of snow. She tilted her pointy chin up, staring superiorly past the thin straight of her nose with pale pink eyes.

"I wouldn't look so aggressive if I were you," the woman advised. "Not if you want your friends to learn your dirty little secret."

"What did you say?" Miss Martian gasped. The light flickered from her eyes. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"My friends call me Shifter," the woman said, letting her hip fall slack. "But my enemies call me Death."

* * *

The snow had suddenly subsided, only for an eerie fog to creep up Robin's ankles. He slipped a birdarang from his belt, holding it between his fingers. The others were nowhere in sight.

'_Guys?' _His thoughts echoed emptily through the mind link. Somehow, he was completely alone.

A chuckle erupted from all directions. He stiffened as it sounded again. There was no doubt about it. That was _his _chuckle.

* * *

An arrow flew from the surrounding blanket of fog. Red Arrow rolled out of the way and drew his own boy, firing from where the attack came. It whizzed through the air, growing quieter as it disappeared from sight.

"You're in quite the predicament, aren't you?" his voice told him. "But it's nothing you can't handle, right?"

Wait. That had to be a mistake. Red Arrow rose to his feet and notched another arrow. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"You know your friends would save you if you called for them. But you aren't going to do that, are you?" his voice continued. "Because you're better than them. It's ridiculous that you have to work with them, let alone follow their thirteen year old leader!"

Red Arrow gritted his teeth and fired his arrow. It sailed uselessly away. "Come out and fight!" he spat.

"What a joke, right?" his voice spat back. "The truth is you know you're nothing but a speck of dirt to the League, to your mentor, and to your so called friends. It's not you who doesn't need them; it's them who don't need you!"

"Shut the hell up!" Red Arrow shouted. He turned desperately around, searching for any sign of them enemy, eager to silence him. "Dammit!" he swore.

* * *

Artemis gawped as a mirror image of herself sauntered up to her, tossing up the thick of her gold ponytail. She drew an arrow, but the copycat merely smirked.

"It's like dad said, isn't it? You can fight him and you can fight your sister, but you can't fight _me_," the image said. Not only did it look just like her, it even sounded like her.

"And who the hell are you?" Artemis tested, pulling the arrow back close to her ear.

"Isn't it obvious?" The copycat held her hands out to her side as if to display herself. "I'm you."

The arrow released with a twang.


	8. Episode Four - Permafrost II

Permafrost Part II

* * *

Mount Justice  
February 11th  
5:00 PM

Wally slammed his head on the desk. The protective goggles slid up over his head, pushing his red hair back. "Argh! This is impossible!" he exclaimed.

Pieces of the mysterious element were spread out on a tray before him. He had been testing its conductivity and its reaction with various chemicals. So far it was acting like a whole block of nothing. Electrons didn't flow through it, it didn't heat over fire, and it didn't react or bond with chemicals or other elements. Most mysterious of all was its impervious resistance to hydrofluoric acid and other dissolving agents.

"Having fun playing with your chemistry set?" Zatanna asked.

Wally turned his head to the side and glowered up at her. "Having fun pulling rabbits out of your hat?" he muttered indignantly.

Fuming, she placed her hands on her hips. "Hey! That's harder than it looks!"

He huffed out a defeated sigh. "I'm getting nowhere with these random tests. Maybe I could run a simulation and see if anything will bond with it?"

"Aren't you curious how my experiments are going?" Zatanna asked petulantly.

He raised his head and stared up at her with a smirk, a look that told her he was about to make fun of her. Before he could open his mouth, she quickly shouted out, "Dnib!"

A cloth wrapped around his head, effectively gagging him. He muffled a protest, and then yanked it off him. "What the hell?" he demanded, face so red his freckles all but vanished. He shot to his feet and angrily threw the offending cloth on the ground. "That was completely uncalled for!"

Zatanna dismissively turned away and crossed her arms across her chest. "That's for doubting magic's usefulness."

"Oh please! Like you're making any progress! Besides, I bet you use that trick with every guy you meet."

"I'm making more progress than- hey!" she suddenly snapped, whirling on him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He held up his hands in defense and averted his eyes to the left. "Err… nothing?"

They glared at each other, and then collapsed into the chairs nearest them. "Sorry," they both said exhaustedly.

"The truth is, I've tried every spell I know," Zatanna admitted. She pulled out her sample of the strange crystal. "It's strange. I can't even use spells to break or move it- it's not just that it doesn't react to anything, nothing _works _on it."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Wally agreed. He leaned over the table, resting his face in his arms. "Speaking of breaks, let's take one," he mumbled. "I'm exhausted."

"Mmhm…" Zatanna examined the crystal closely in her hand. "Maybe it's not that nothing has an effect on it, maybe we just haven't tried everything… I mean, maybe my magic just isn't good enough?" She sighed and looked down dejectedly. "I bet my dad could figure it out… Batman probably gave a sample to Fate. What does he think we'll find that _he_ won't?"

"Man," Wally whined. "I wish I was in Siberia right now."

* * *

Siberian Tundra  
February 12th  
2:00 AM

Shifter walked right up to Miss Martian and tucked her hair behind an ear. All the green skinned girl could do was glare. The albino woman smiled as she played with a red strand, coiling it around her finger.

"The Queen would be most disappointed if our operations were discovered before the appropriate reveal," she cooed. "Don't even think about trying anything. If something happens to me, she'll know. And then your secret'll be out by morning."

"What do you want from me?" Miss Martian asked icily.

"Good girl. You know your place," the woman whispered approvingly. "It's simple. All you have to do is keep your friends from the truth. It's embarrassing to admit it, but we've already been attacked since you got here and chased us off. Problem is we had no time to cover our tracks. Keep your little friends from sniffing anything out, and we'll be good to go. Understand?"

Miss Martian averted her eyes to the ground. The grip on her hair tightened, and Shifter yanked painfully forward. The Martian hitched in pain. "Listen close, you little freak. If you don't do exactly as I say all your little friends are gonna learn exactly what you really are! Do you want that?"

She wanted more than anything to beat the Shifter into the ground or to rip apart her mind from the inside out. She knew the arrogant woman wouldn't stand a chance in a fight, but she was winning a different kind of battle. All Miss Martian could do was shake her head and whisper a cold, "No."

"Good…" Shifter released her grip and took a step back. She handed the Martian a package. "Take this. It's what's left of the explosives," she added to her questioning gaze. "It doesn't matter what happens to the camp since we're already gone. Just make sure you don't find any evidence. Got it?"

Miss Martian took the package and nodded, eyes still turned away. The tundra fell silent. When she looked up, she found herself completely alone in the storm.

* * *

Robin threw a smoke pellet. It exploded in a black cascade that engulfed his other self. He threw a birdarang and rushed in.

The birdarang was deflected by another. The two projectiles met, tangled, and spun to the floor. Copycat Robin blocked the flying kick and responded with a hard punch to the gut,and then an elbow over the head. Robin fell to the snow with a thump.

"I'm completely whelmed," Copycat Robin mocked with a cackle. "Come on. You can't wimp out just because I can predict every move you make."

"…How?" Robin asked, lifting his throbbing head.

His counterpart grinned down at him, the white eyes of the mask curved. "Because I'm you."

Robin's jaw tightened and he leapt to his feet. "Yeah, like I'm gonna believe that!" he declared, attacking this time with his taser. The copycat jumped up as the electrical wires flew beneath him. While he was in mid-air, Robin threw another Birdarang just as his mirror image tossed two. The first quickly took his down while the second skimmed past his face, slicing a clean cut into his cheek.

He winced and quickly wiped away the droplets beginning to collect on the thin red line. The blood smeared across his skin and the back of his glove.

"Are you trying to ignore me?" Copycat Robin asked as he approached. "I guess that's just like you, considering how you are with the truth."

Robin smiled, sensing the perfect opportunity to distract his opponent. "What truth?" he asked, playing along. He carefully slipped a hand behind his back, reaching for a holstered weapon. Bad guys _always_ talked too much.

Copycat Robin returned the smile, though it was wider and split from ear to ear. "You didn't join up with Batman so you could hunt down Zucco or save people's lives. You did it for the thrills. The excitement. Batman's only protégé, living in a mansion under the care of Bruce Wayne, fighting crime in Gotham's streets by night. Admit it. You're happy your parents are dead. If the Flying Graysons hadn't been killed, Robin would never have been born."

Robin stayed his hand. His lips were parted slightly, his eyes wide and blank. "How do you know all that?" he asked quietly. He tried to keep calm, but on the inside he was panicking. Batman would kill him if he knew someone had discovered their secret identities.

"What do you mean how do I know?" Copycat Robin asked. He laughed. "They're my thoughts, aren't they?"

"That's a lie!" Robin snapped quickly, pulling out his eskrima sticks. "I've never thought that!"

"You're seriously not feeling the aster," Copycat Robin commented, his smile widening still.

"Cut it out! And quit stealing my lines!"

"Stealing your lines? How is that possible? They're already mine to begin with, aren't they?"

Frustration and rage gnawed at his gut, sending him into a desperate charge. This state of mind was exactly what he had been trained to control. But he couldn't focus with the thought nagging at his mind; the possibility that what this image was saying to him was absolutely true.

The instant he swung out with his eskrima stick was the moment he knew he had made a mistake. Copycat Robin easily ducked, holding himself up on his hand as he spun around, sweeping his feet out from under him. Robin fell onto his back, and his other self was upon him, raising a gloved hand and bringing it down across his jaw. The other hand clutched to the front of his uniform, pulling him up only to hit him back down.

Over and over his twin fist made contact until his skin was split and purple. Cackling laughter filled his ears, surrounded him, and immersed him, till one Robin melded into the other.

* * *

Robin awoke to the sound of the blizzard. He had never been more thankful to hear the roar of the wind. He tried to sit up, but groaned as his light head began to spin and spots sprang up in his vision.

"Whoa, easy," Artemis said, setting a steadying hand on his chest.

"Wha- where are we?" Robin asked, gingerly touching his brow. He looked around. It was pitch black. He could barely make out the others' forms. He was sitting on dry rock. The wind howled outside their shelter.

"The cave I mentioned earlier," Red Arrow said, walking over to him. "It's good to see you up. How're you feeling?"

"Like I just head butted a mirror," Robin muttered sourly.

"Yeah. We know how you feel," Artemis said. "We were all attacked too. I wasted most of my quiver fighting _myself_. But then I was suddenly back as if it had never happened only… you were lying unconscious in the snow."

"Since we've been attacked I think it's safe to say the League's enemies are involved in whatever's going on here," Red Arrow conjectured.

Expression set, Robin forced himself to his feet.

"Hey, I don't think you should be up yet!" Miss Martian protested.

"We have a mission to complete, remember?" Robin reminded her. "I'm not gonna sit back just because I got knocked around a bit. Come on. Let's go."

"That's what I like to hear," Red Arrow said approvingly. "We're right behind you."

They set out to leave. Miss Martian hung back, a frown threatening to tug at her lips. Her eyes glowed white. A rumble interrupted them as the cave entrance came crashing down. Heavy boulders rained and threatened to crush them.

"Look out!" Artemis warned.

They fell back until the shaking subsided, and nothing moved saved for the shifting of rock and spare pebbles tumbling down the blockage.

"What happened?" Miss Martian asked in the dark.

Robin raised his glove and activated the computer, using the hologram for light. A blue glow illuminated the cave and their startled and confused faces.

Red Arrow instantly turned on Artemis, roughly tugging at her quiver.

"Hey!" she protested, shaking him off. "What's your problem?"

"You're out of explosive arrows," he observed.

"Well yeah. I used them in the fight!"

He narrowed his eyes. "How convenient."

She threw out an arm. "What the hell? You think I did this? Why would I want to be stuck in a cave with you?" she demanded, jabbing him in the chest.

"Quit it!" Robin said sharply, pulling them out of their spat. "None of us did this so there's no point in arguing. Besides, there was no explosion. She couldn't have done it."

Red Arrow backed off at that. "Yeah," he conceded. "You're right. But I'm watching you," he said to Artemis.

"Lucky me," she grumbled, glaring up at him.

"Come on. Let's explore further into the caves. Maybe there's another exit," Robin suggested.

One tunnel branched off into many. Before they knew it, they were so far in they could no longer tell from which way they came. Robin used the radar to guide them, hoping if they kept traveling northeast they would come across an exit near the camp.

The rock of the caves transitioned to ice. They found themselves in a massive white cavern. Icicles lined the roof, threatening to fall and skewer them at any provocation. The blue of the hologram bounced off the walls, brightening the shimmering chamber.

"It's beautiful," Miss Martian breathed. "Like the caves on Mars."

"Yeah, it's also just as cold," Robin pointed out. "Hopefully we'll find a way out soon."

"Or at all," Artemis said grimly.

Nobody answered that.

The tunnel grew steep and their feet began to slide beneath them. "Watch your footing-" Robin slipped, crashing to the floor and shooting down the icy path like a slide. When he fell, the others started forward, making as if to grab him, only to join him in his descent.

Miss Martian took to the air, saving herself from crashing at the end of the chute. The others weren't so lucky. They landed in a tangled heap of crossed legs and hooked limbs.

Noticing Red Arrow was sprawled on top of her, Artemis quickly started shoving at his face. "Get off!" she shouted.

"Would you knock if off?" he demanded, grabbing her wrist to hold her back. "I'm trying!"

Robin laughed from beneath Artemis until her elbow dug into his back, interrupting his amusement. "What are you, five?" he snapped, trying to wriggle out of the trap.

"Uh do you guys need help?" Miss Martian floated above them.

Robin suddenly stopped struggling. He stared up before him, eyes wide. "Whoa."

Red Arrow and Artemis managed to detangle themselves and get to their feet. Artemis dusted herself, attempting to maintain what dignity she had left. They looked to where Robin was mesmerized.

A giant ice statue stood before them. It was of a man wielding a spear. A pair of curved, elegant wings protruded from his back. He had the head of a hawk, although half his face had been broken away by time.

Robin pushed himself up from his belly and ran the light over the statue. "Definitely Thanagarian," he decided, turning to them. His face would've appeared bright with childish glee if not for the cuts, bruises, and dried blood. "Do you know what this means?"

Artemis shrugged. The only experience she had with aliens of any kind was Superboy and Miss Martian. She'd never even met Hawkman or Hawkwoman before.

"Whoever built this knew about the Thanagarians," Red Arrow said.

"More than knew," Miss Martian added. "Looks like they worshiped them."

"Yes. And Batman said there's evidence of Thanagarians interacting with ancient civilization!" He raised his glove, spreading the light over the entire area. It illuminated the roof above them and the archways and carved ice columns that held it up. Hundreds of the crystal element glittered down them, built into the architecture. The others gawped in awe.

Artemis was the first to snap out of it. "Wait, if the, uh, Thanagarians actually _were_ here, doesn't that mean…?"

"That the new element must've come from them," Robin finished. "But, unlike the Nth Metal they used, this is unrefined… there must be a reason for that…"

"Maybe it has a different function?" Miss Martian suggested. "Look how it's integrated with the arches."

"Yeah, that's possible. Or maybe a trade ship crash landed on Earth?" Robin snapped his fingers. "That would explain why there're such large quantities!"

The others wondered where that deduction even came from. They were unused to looking at every possibility and connecting every dot like Batman and Robin did. To those two, solving mysteries was like mapping star constellations.

"None of that really matters right now. Let's stop playing detective and get back to work," Red Arrow suggested. "If we've found the source of the element, that means this chamber connects to the mines our target's been digging."

"Right. We still need to figure out what the enemy's wants with this stuff. Let's go." Robin turned sharply and led the others down the hall.

They knew they were on the right track when the wall archways transitioned from whole to crumbled and picked away. Chunks were ripped out of the setting to get at the element held within. Soon they came across a giant hole that had been torn in the hallway's side.

"This is it," Robin said, stepping over the lip of the manmade entrance.

"Wait!" Miss Martian stopped him. "This probably comes out in the middle of the camp! It could be an ambush!"

"We can't just sit here," Robin argued.

"I know. Let me go first. I'll message you when it's safe," she said.

The others exchanged a look and nodded in accord. "Alright," Robin agreed. "Scout out the area and we'll catch them unawares."

Miss Martian lifted her hood and her form faded, blending in with the ice around her. She flew up the tunnel and vanished from sight.

* * *

Mount Justice  
February 11th  
6:30 PM

Wally stood before the Cave computer, entering data into the system. The chemical structure of the mystery element was displayed on the screen. The glow of the computer glared off his unblinking eyes. He studied it intently, absently tugging at his chin.

"Any luck?" Zatanna asked from his back.

He didn't look over his shoulder, remaining focused on the image before him. "Nope," he admitted, somewhat wearily. "This is like discovering pop rocks and soda all over again."

She laughed, and he smiled to himself, happy that they were no longer quarrelling. "I'm gonna try one last thing," she told him.

"K," he responded distractedly, too involved with the computer to notice the slight hesitancy in her voice.

The element sample sat stoically on the table, taunting in its inanimate stature. Zatanna approached and lifted a hand, letting her outstretched fingers hover a hair's breath above it. She inhaled a shuddery breath and whispered, "Soahc."

Nothing happened. She exhaled in relief. And then the rock lit up red, crimson static emanating from the crystals. A frightened gasp broke free from her lips and she drew back her hand, whacking the rock off the table. It clunked and clattered to the floor, the red glow fading like a cooling ember.

She drew back, holding herself tightly as a shudder crept down her spine.

* * *

Siberian Tundra  
February 12th  
3:30 AM

The tunnel was littered with abandoned equipment, cables, and lights. Just as Miss Martian thought, the cave entrance led to a gathering of tents. Only the camp was completely empty and the vicious snow had settled to a calm drift.

Before messaging the others, she searched for the research tent. She found the largest shelter filled with computers and files. That had to be it. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the charges from her belt and positioned them by the power boxes.

She returned to the mouth of the cave. _'All clear,' _she told them. _'The camp's been completely abandoned.'_

She waited until the others emerged from the darkness. Visible relief passed through their faces as they breathed in the crisp chill of the air and snow. The night sky broke through the gray overhead and the stark veil had lifted.

Something caught Robin's eye, breaking him from his stupor. He knelt by a lump in the snow and pulled out a buried spear. Its crude three pronged tip was coated in blood, which stained the white undercoat of snow.

"Signs of a fight," he observed. "Seems we weren't the only ones after these guys."

"Explains why they left in a hurry," Artemis commented.

"Yeah." Robin stood to his feet, eyeing the tents. "Lucky for us, that probably means they left something behind."

As the others approached the camp, Miss Martian held back, fingers dancing around the detonation device in her hand. She shut her eyes as her thumb teasingly circled the button, and pressed.

An explosion ripped through the air. Orange flames engulfed the canvas tents. Snow sprayed like an erupting geyser. Boxed equipment flew through the air. The Team was knocked to their feet, sliding back in the thick blanket of snow.

Robin sprang to his feet and ran forward, only to skid to a stop before the flames. "Dammit! What happened?" he demanded.

Red Arrow turned to Artemis, who quickly snapped, "Don't look at me! I'm out of explosive arrows, remember?"

The flames, tempered by the snow, died down to a calm dance. The others looked on as the last of the canvas flapped in the air, and disintegrated to charred ash. Robin clenched his fist and gritted his teeth so hard it felt his jaw would break. In an instant he released the tension. His shoulders slouched in defeat and he hung his head.

"Call the Bio-Ship," he said quietly. "We need to get back to the Cave… and tell Batman I failed."

"O-okay…" Miss Martian said, watching her ashamed teammates with guilt ridden eyes. Despite the terrible feeling swirling in her chest, she couldn't help but feel at ease as she summoned the Bio-Ship to their location.


	9. Episode Five - Siren I

Siren Part I

* * *

Arkham Asylum  
February 21st  
11:45 AM

Dr. Crane sat on the fabric armchair of his office, one leg crossed over the other. A clipboard rested against his knee, burdened by the scurried scrawls of his notes. His patient, Arthur Light, rested on the sofa with an arm draped over his stomach. He was a thin, gaunt man with slicked black hair and a pointed goatee. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

"What can you tell me about light manipulation?" Dr. Crane asked.

"This again?" Arthur said exasperatedly. "I told you. I don't know anything about that scientific boo-dongle."

"Right… And how is it you defeated the entire Green Lantern Corp?"

Arthur turned his head, looking at him in shock. "I did what?" he asked breathlessly. "I can't even off a few stinking sidekicks, let alone the Lanterns!"

"Your list of crimes is written here, clear as day." Dr. Crane flipped through his clipboard. "Let's take a look… You simultaneously robbed three banks, trapped the founding members of the Justice League, nearly killed them, and…" he paused, a smile tugging at his lips, "you assaulted the loving wife of-"

Arthur grabbed his head and hissed in pain. "Enough!" he shouted. "I didn't do any of that! I was beaten up by those damn _sidekicks_ before I could anything worthwhile!"

"Yes, it says here Speedy accosted you and your accomplices during an attempted bank robbery, Robin prevented the theft of a priceless artifact, and Kid Flash stopped you from sacking a prestigious jewelry store." Dr. Crane chuckled at that. "Now how did _he_ of all people manage that?"

"The damn kid was running so fast, I couldn't see where he was going!" Arthur said, gesturing wildly with his hands. "I got dizzy just trying to keep up with him!"

"His mentor, Flash, didn't give you a problem," Dr. Crane pointed out.

Arthur stilled, hands suspended mid air. "I've never fought Flash."

A pregnant silence took the room. There was nothing but the thin scribbling of Crane's pen on paper. "Something is repressing your memories, Arthur," he said, finally looking up from his notes. "It not only has an effect on your personality, but your once genius intellect has been severely stunted."

"Gee, thanks," Arthur grumbled.

"Why don't you tell me about your powers, Arthur."

"Powers? What do you mean? I just wear this suit and stuff happens," Arthur explained.

"_Stuff_?" Crane repeated somewhat sardonically. "Please, elaborate."

"It can shoot beams of energy and… well, that's about it."

"Interesting." Dr. Crane scribbled something down. "And how'd you come to obtain such a suit?"

"I…" Arthur groaned, rubbing his head. An aura surrounded him like a deep fog, swallowing every letter before they could form coherent thoughts. "I don't know…"

"Headache, Arthur? Would you like some water?" Dr. Crane asked kindly.

"No… No, I'm fine," Arthur managed through the dull pain.

"Very well. Let's move to the table. I want to show you some pictures."

The two doctors sat across each other at a small square table. Dr. Crane pushed a photograph forward. It was of a young woman with cropped brown hair.

"That's great. Who is this?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"Her name is Elise Jones. Your first victim," Dr. Crane said.

"My what? No, no, I've never met her!" Arthur protested, quick to wave the accusation away. He always lived by an honest criminal code and never took credit for crimes he did not commit.

"I see… and how about her?" Dr. Crane pushed a second photo forward, this time of a Spanish woman with thick hair and striking features.

"Nope, never," Arthur said, examining the photo closely. He smiled, smitten by the sharp angles of her jaw and cheek bones and the brave arch of her brows. "Although I have to say, she's very pretty," he commented.

Dr. Crane inspected him, a little annoyed by his meandering. "Let's try some more."

The third picture was a blonde, the fourth a dark haired man, and the fifth another woman. Soon the pictures blended as quickly as they came, their subjects blurring into a single, obscure identity. A generic victim Arthur himself had no contact with.

But then emerged the last of Crane's pictures.

"Wait…" Arthur groaned and pressed a hand against his brow. "That woman… she looks…" A dull throbbing in his temple interrupted his thoughts. "Shit, I can't think with this damn migraine!"

"This woman?" Dr. Crane tapped the photo of a woman with red hair and emerald green eyes. "Her name is Iris West-Allen, your last victim before you lost your memories. How does her picture make you feel, Arthur?"

The murky fog turned red. Arthur slammed his fists on the table, but the doctor didn't flinch. He bit his lip, the whites of his eyes showing as he glared down at the photo. "I've never met her before," he said thinly. "But, for some reason, she makes me _angry_."

A smile twisted up Dr. Crane's face. "Good…" He folded his hands across the table and leaned forward. "I think we've finally found the key to getting back your memories, Dr. Light."

* * *

Mount Justice  
February 22nd  
5:00 PM

Wolf slept peacefully behind the couch in the Cave's living quarters. The first to walk by was Robin, who was immersed in the holographic computer built into his glove. Wolf raised his head and watched him pace the area between the TV and kitchen.

"Judging from the average ratio of element to area, and how much was missing, the enemy made of with approximately four tons of material. Due to the camp's close proximity to the coastline, the most logical mode of transportation was by ship," Robin mused. He slowed to a stop, and glanced over at Wolf.

The white canine cocked his head and whined.

Robin pressed a button. An image of the element's molecular structure appeared as a small hologram shimmering above his wrist. "The exact purpose of the element is unknown. Aqualad reported no reaction to Atlantean sorcery, and KF and Zatanna had no luck at all," Robin said, going over the results of the tests. "Not even Batman or the League could find anything concrete."

Since the properties were a total scientific mystery, the Atlanteans had labeled the metal the Mystic Element, or Element M. Robin approved of the given name, as the answer to its riddle was surely mystical, but couldn't understand what such a material could possible be used for.

"If it really doesn't do anything, then why did the enemy want it so badly? And why was someone desperate enough to try and stop them?" he wondered aloud. He turned back to the large animal. "More importantly, who were they?"

Wolf let out a low growl.

"The spear I found hinted at some kind of primitive, warlike culture," Robin said. The weapon in question was sitting in the souvenir room, right next to the new emitter device Wally had collected in January.

As if sensing he'd been subconsciously mentioned, Wally sped into the room. He slung an arm around his surprised friend's neck. "Training's over!" he said happily, unleashing a giddy grin. "And guess what, dude? It's Friday! Whoohoo! We are _so _gonna party!"

"Dude." Robin smiled amusedly, switching off his computer. He was both annoyed and thankful for the distraction. "Did Miss M hype you up on sugar again?" he asked.

"Give me some credit, Robin. I've learned from my mistakes," Megan said, floating into the room. She was followed by Artemis, Superboy, and Kaldur.

"We missed you at training, Rob," Kaldur said. "We had an uneven number of sparring partners."

"Sorry," Robin said sheepishly. "I was going over the notes from the mission in Siberia."

Wally released him, looking to each of them in turn. "Dude, that's like the third time this day! Just what're you expecting to find? A cliff note saying, 'Oh hey, Snape killed Dumbledore!'?"

"I know it seems crazy," Robin said. He turned his head away. "It's just… we wouldn't need to be questioning anything if I hadn't screwed up the mission in the first place!"

"You didn't do anything wrong," Miss Martian argued.

"Yeah. We were all taken off guard by that attack, remember?" Artemis reminded him.

"What're you talking about? My injuries are the reason we were distracted long enough for the enemy to get away!" Robin insisted.

"You don't know that. They were probably gone long before we got there," Artemis pointed out, albeit uncertainly. They were scrounging for reasons to make him feel better, and it wasn't helping.

Robin furrowed his brows, undoubtedly glaring from behind his shades. "Look. Stop trying to make excuses for me. Batman never did that, he just told me to fix my mistakes and get it right next time."

An uncomfortable silence stole the atmosphere. Wally cleared his throat. "Hey, everyone just needs to lighten up!" He broke out his grin again, though it was less enthusiastic then before. "Come on, guys, it's the weekend! Let's all do something!"

"No thanks," Artemis said bluntly, turning away to leave. "I have to go home."

"Oh, uhm…" Megan blushed, staring shyly up at Connor. He seemed unfazed by the delicate situation of declining an invitation. "We… already have plans. Friday's movie night, and… well, you know we never miss it…"

Wally's face fell. "Say no more. Please," he sighed. Megan tossed them one last apology, and she and Superboy retreated to one of the rooms upstairs. He instead turned to the Atlantean. "Kaldur? Up for some fun?" he asked.

Kaldur hesitated. "I am unsure. I was originally planning on returning home tonight."

"You mean to Atlantis?" Robin asked.

"No… to my home on the surface world," Kaldur clarified.

The two boys exchanged a curious look.

"Where _do_ you live?" Wally asked. "Do you need a salt water tank or…"

"Following the suggestion of my King, I have taken residency in an apartment to further acclimate myself to surface culture," Kaldur explained, ignoring the fish joke. He always ignored the fish jokes, but that never stopped them from trying.

"Whoa, seriously?" Robin asked.

"Dude!" Wally exclaimed. "You've had a bachelor's pad this whole time and never invited us over?"

Kaldur recoiled slightly, fearing he had caused some unknown offence. "I… did not think it necessary to explain my living situation," he said. "I apologize if my assumptions are incorrect."

"No need to apologize! Just let us come over!" Wally said excitedly. "Aw man this is gonna be sweet!"

Kaldur gave Robin a quizzical look. The boy wonder offered a shrug, a smile, and a simple explanation, "It's a surface dweller thing."

* * *

Gotham City  
February 22nd  
5:30 PM

Artemis emerged from the Zeta-Tube, slipping free of the out-of-order phone booth. The last of the winter night was creeping up on the city. A sliver of sun, sliced apart by the apartments and skyscrapers, glittered bronze in the smoggy horizon.

She hurried down the street, her duffle bag bouncing with every step. A pair of masked eyes watched her progress from the rooftops. Her stalker trailed quietly after her. Red Arrow had attempted to follow Artemis nearly every night, and nearly every night she had evaded him.

What he found most suspicious was the fact that she showed no signs of knowing she was being followed, yet exercised extreme caution regardless. She was hiding something, and he was determined to weasel the truth out from her grasp.

Tonight was a lucky night. For whatever reason, Artemis was being careless. Her path was straight and direct when before he had always lost her to the maze of alleys and backstreets.

She led him into a poverty stricken area of Gotham, notorious for its crime, domestic disputes, and displays of indecency. He expected to uncover a suspicious meeting or destination that would reveal ties to the enemy. Instead, he was surprised to see her slip into a small, shabby home. She announced her arrival like any typical teenager wandering in from undisclosed after-school activities.

Red Arrow sidled along the wall of an alley, creeping as close to the house as he could. He could only summarize one thing from this discovery: Artemis was not Green Arrow's niece. But he had that figured before. He needed to know more, or this entire excursion would've been pointless.

"What's this?" a cool feminine voice slipped around him. "Don't trust your own teammates?"

Red Arrow swung around, drawing his bow on the approaching villainess. "Cheshire," he hissed as her red painted mask emerged from the shadows and into the streetlight.

"Oh, don't look at me like I'm so _bad_," Cheshire purred. "You're the one sneaking around one of your trusted partners."

"Right. And you being here is just a coincidence," he tested somewhat sarcastically.

"Not even close. I saw you scaling the rooftops, and I just had to see what you were doing… I ended up following you following her," she explained amusedly. As she talked, she inched closer, casual and nonchalant, almost as if to assure him nothing was out of the ordinary.

His grip on the arrow tightened. "You know what they say about curiosity and cats, right?"

"Please. Not a cat joke. Don't sink so low," Cheshire said. She was close now. Far too close for comfort.

"Stop or I'll shoot," he warned.

She did as he asked, slacking her hip. She waited patiently for his next move, though more so out of curiosity than actual obedience.

"I don't have time for your games, Cheshire. Tell me what you're doing here," Red Arrow ordered, raising his voice.

"Ooh assertiveness… I like that in a man."

Clearly this exchange wasn't going anywhere. She was in total control of what information she would reveal to him and seemed more interested in playing around than cooperating.

Red Arrow's patience snapped with the release of his arrow. Cheshire dodged with a hand spring and locked her legs around his neck, flipping him over. The net exploded behind her, trapping nothing but air.

While he lay stunned on his back, she was up and upon him, putting a sai to his throat. The cold, sleek metal sent an icy shock through his skin. It was a stark contrast to the warmth of another's pressing body. She leaned in close to his ear.

"You're following your teammate for answers, right?" The tresses of her thick hair teased the surface of his skin. Her warm breath tickled his ear. He flinched, both alert to her words and ashamed of his predicament. "Lucky for you, those are answers I happen to have…"

Lost in the euphoric haze of victory, Cheshire let her guard down. Red Arrow flipped her around, pinning her arms to the floor. She didn't resist. Rather, her faceless mask seemed to express that of eagerness as her eyes glittered impishly from behind the slits.

"What do you know?" he demanded lowly.

And just like that, she lost interest. She kneed him in the gut and, with his grip loosened from the shock, threw him off and bounced to her feet.

"Why don't you chase me and find out, lover boy?" she suggested playfully, retreating into the shadows.

* * *

Metropolis  
February 22nd  
6:00 PM

The room Kaldur had rented was a modest studio apartment. It was sleek, sterile, and devoid of any clutter or accents. The kitchen was stocked to the bare minimum, the bed was only accompanied by a small dresser, and a television and sofa comprised the whole living room space. The only thing not in the same room was the bathroom.

Robin had seen everything the first few seconds of entering the apartment. Standing in the middle of the room, he looked around once, his hands tucked away in his jacket pockets. He took a moment to think of what to say, and then turned to Kaldur.

"Nice place," he decided on.

Kaldur smiled. "To be honest, I am unaccustomed to surface living conditions. The transition has been… difficult at times."

"We'll help you get settled," Robin promised.

"I... appreciate that. Where is Kid?"

Robin held back a smirk. "Getting the necessities."

"Necessities?"

The door burst open. Wally sped into the room with arms full of various goods and a backpack slung over his shoulder. A power cord and controller wires stuck out from the video game console tucked at his side.

"I brought Zero Fighter III!" he declared with a grin. "Prepare to get your asses kicked!"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey everyone! Just want to say that while this Dr. Light is heavily based on the comics, I've tweaked certain events to fit the story. I won't explain anymore... That wouldn't be any fun, now would it?  
**

******Thanks so much for the views, reviews, alerts, and favorites! Every little bit makes me smile. :)**


	10. Episode Five - Siren II

Siren Part II

* * *

Metropolis  
February 22nd  
8:00 PM

A voluptuous woman with flame red hair stood in front of the club, XN Trick. A crowd was lining at the curb, murmuring in their excitement.

"I can't believe you got in opening night!" a girl cried, practically bubbling with excitement as she hopped up and down. She threw her arms around her pleased looking boyfriend.

The boy's attitude immediately changed when he caught sight of the woman. She winked at him, lips tipped in a side smile. "Whoa," he breathed against his girlfriend's hair.

"Come on!" His girlfriend giggled and dragged him in by the hand, too eager to notice his sudden distance.

When he vanished, so did the smile on the woman's face. She glared scornfully at the building, blue lights and electronic music pulsing and pushing against the wall's boundaries.

"I can't believe the arboretum was razed for this cesspit," the woman hissed, nails digging into her crossed arms. "Don't worry, my babies," she cooed. "They won't get away with this."

* * *

Buttons mashed as Robin and Wally competed, hunkered down in front of the television. Kaldur watched, stunned into silence as Wally brought the controller into overdrive. His fingers were a blur as they swept over the joysticks and pressed the buttons and triggers. The screen flashed as his character lifted Robin's into the air, spun him over his head, and threw him to the ground.

"Ha-ha! Take that!" Wally exclaimed victoriously.

"Ugh you always cheat!" Robin complained, tossing the controller aside. "This is totally lame!"

"Dude, you're just saying that because you can't take loosing," Wally accused, jabbing a finger at him.

"Am not! Look, Kaldur's bored out of his skull!" Robin flung his hand back to indicate the stoic Atlantean, who was sitting straight-backed on the couch with a blank face.

Noticing he suddenly had their attention, Kaldur glanced down at them. "I… am merely perplexed," he said. "The goal of the virtual warriors is clear, but I fail to see the reasoning behind it."

"Dude. It's a video game. Reason's got nothing to do with it," Wally explained.

Kaldur tilted his head, pale eyes sliding to the side in thought. "I… see."

The redhead looked between his friends, taking note of their lack of enjoyment. He set the controller down and sped to the television. "Alright, well, we still have snacks left. Let's just kick back and watch a movie," he suggested.

A sly grin spread up Robin's face. "I've got a better idea…"

Wally and Kaldur shared a worried look.

* * *

Gotham City  
February 22nd  
8:15 PM

Red Arrow leaned against the brick wall, breathing heavily. He had an arrow drawn and pointed to the floor. Cheshire had led him all through the alleys, sparring when he got to close before slipping just out of sight, always holding back to tempt him to give chase.

The whites of his mask narrowed. He was being played.

Cheshire dropped from the rooftop. Red Arrow pulled his bow up and fired. The projectile released with a twang. Steel flashed as Cheshire deflected it with her sai. The eyes behind her grinning mask were bold and bright with excitement.

"What's the matter? Can't keep up?" she taunted, pulling back and dashing into a side passage.

Gritting his teeth, Red Arrow pursued his target, pulling another arrow from his quiver. He turned just in time to see her arms trailing around the corner of another alley.

The chase led him to Gotham's train yard. Last time he was there, he'd lost Artemis's trail. He couldn't help but feel there was a connection between the then and now.

He lightly stepped over the barren tracks, bow raised as he scanned the area. "Come out, Cheshire! I'm tired of your games!" he shouted.

"Her games are the least of your worries, Broken Arrow."

Red Arrow gritted his teeth and swung around as Sportsmaster stepped into the clearing, the orange light from the lantern posts washing over him.

* * *

Metropolis  
February 22nd  
8:45

"Dude. Today was supposed to about hanging out, not _crime fighting_!" Kid Flash complained from their vantage point on the roof. He was dressed in his dark stealth suit, belly to the floor of the concrete.

Robin lay next to him, a pair of binoculars pressed to his eyes. "This is hanging out," he argued, thinking of all the stake outs he shared with Batman and Barbara.

"This doesn't come close!" Kid Flash snapped.

"No. It is fun with reason," Aqualad said, staring down at the street below. A darkly dressed thug was creeping in the shadows, watching as a couple neared. "And it is certainly a pastime I understand." He drew his water-bearers.

After a short fight, Robin returned the couple's stolen wallet and purse. They thanked them adamantly, ducking their heads and smiling what they could not express with words.

Kid Flash finished tying up the mugger. Aqualad turned to the two and asked, "Will you be alright from here?"

"Yes," the man said. "Thanks so much for helping us!"

"Thank you!" the woman added. "My friend's won't believe we were saved by Robin and Aqualad!"

"What about me?" Kid Flash muttered to himself.

The three watched the couple disappear down the street.

"Man, how is it every time I think, 'tonight's gonna be all about fun' I end up chasing down baddies?" Kid Flash asked dejectedly.

"Because it's a blast?" Robin suggested with a grin.

An explosion ripped through the air and lit up the night sky. People screamed, their fear carrying from at least a block away. The three ducked, instinctively shielding their heads.

"A blast, huh?" Kid Flash turned to Robin accusingly, who looked back helplessly. "What the hell was that?" he demanded.

"Dunno. But it can't be good," Robin said, turning towards the orange cloud hovering over the distant buildings.

"Then let us investigate," Aqualad ordered, slipping into his role as leader.

* * *

Laughter ripped from Ivy's throat as she threw her head back and stretched her arms in the air. The crowd screamed as thorns vines enraptured the building. Smoke, fire, and a green haze of spores choked the air.

Recently she had bred a new kind of plant, one that emitted a highly flammable gas. The irony was too sweet for her not to laugh. Mankind's fire, which had once so corrupted the forests, had instead been set upon its industrial masters.

A torrent of water rushed through the billowed smoke, engulfing her, knocking her aside and cutting short her delighted cackling.

Growling, she pushed herself from the concrete, flame red hair dripping like a soaked mop. A pair of black boots walked in front of her.

"A little out of our element aren't we, Ivy?" Robin teased.

"This city was asking for it," Ivy said through gritted teeth. "Had they not torn down the arboretum for this- this fester of an _establishment_, I wouldn't be needed! But who else would speak for the plants?"

"The Lorax?" Kid Flash suggested.

Robin let out a low whistle. "Someone's not feeling the aster."

Ivy sprang to her feet and threw out her hand. An army of vines shot towards Robin, who promptly leapt up. The plants changed trajectory, curving up and wrapping around his ankle. "Wu-oh!" he managed to get out before being dragged to the ground.

Kid Flash and Aqualad both rushed her, only to be bombarded by the vines. Robin laughed. A quick beeping escalated until a dozen small explosions tore through the base of the vines. The blast was swept up by the flammable exhaust, spreading across the bulk of the plant. It seemed to shriek in pain, and Ivy held her head in agony.

"No!" Ivy screamed. "Stop it!"

Aqualad sent a surge of electricity through the plants that bound him, turning them into a crisp. Kid Flash whirled into a red and yellow tornado, pulling the vines up by the roots.

Ivy fell to her knees, clutching her head. She suddenly leapt up in a rage. "How dare you harm my babies!" she shrieked. A fresh cloud of gas poured from what remained of the plants. The green spores made up a thick haze. The boys began to cough, covering their mouths with their arms.

"Aww seriously?" Wally complained as the green settled in his hair and on his suit.

Ivy raised her hand, thumb nearing the switch on her lighter. Robin's eyes shot open. "Kid, stop her!"

"Uh, right!" Kid Flash rushed forward, but was promptly tripped by a flailing vine. Aqualad and Robin met the same fate when they leapt into action.

"It's about time this city got a taste of its own medicine!" Ivy cried.

A cold wind swept over them, dispersing the spores, snuffing the fires, and buffeting Ivy off her feet. She cried out, the lighter flying from her grasp, its spark extinguished by the freeze. Pushing her hair back, she wildly looked up, only to gasp and cower back as a shadow of a man and his cape settled over her form.

Superman glared down at her, his arms crossed. "Not in my city, Ivy," he said, his voice dangerously low. He turned to the sidekicks, all sprawled out on the ground, detangling the dying vines from their limbs. "Why don't you boys go home? I'll take it from here."

Kid Flash let out a breath of relief, and then turned to Aqualad. "Still take this over Zero Fighter?"

Aqualad merely stared at him, assuming the answer was obvious.

* * *

Gotham City  
February 22nd  
8:30 PM

The hammer struck his side, knocking him to the gravel. The skin of his hand split as he skidded across the rough terrain, bumping into the outer rail of the track. Hissing in pain, Red Arrow pushed himself up.

"What's it gonna be, boy? Run? Or fight?" Sportsmaster asked, swinging the hammer. It spun in a steel blur, whirring like a well groomed machine.

Cheshire sat atop a boxcar, her legs crossed over the edge. She stared down at him with her grinning, taunting mask.

Before Red Arrow could make a decision, an arrow shot from the darkness, striking the ground by Sportsmaster's feet. An explosion of smoke erupted from the canister, billowing into the air and blacking out the yellow lamps.

"Move it!" Artemis shouted, urging Red Arrow to follow her. She had changed back into her green outfit.

He didn't need to be told twice. He leapt to his feet and ran after the archer, the two of them vanishing before the smoke could dissipate.

Cheshire appeared by her father's side. "Should we chase them?" she asked, her sai at the ready.

Sportsmaster stared into the empty street where Artemis had been. "No," he decided, turning his back. "I have what I need."

Artemis and Red Arrow ran until they were a safe distance from the trainyard. They breathed heavily as they caught their breath.

"What the hell were you doing?" Artemis whirled on him, hands thrown out at her sides. She stared up at him with a tight jaw and narrowed eyes.

"I could ask you the same question," he countered, bearing down at her.

"I'm not the one who's been sneaking around!" she shot back. "I saw you- talking with _her_."

"Who? Cheshire?" Red Arrow recoiled. "We weren't chatting, I was following her!"

"You were following _me_," Artemis corrected. "Why?"

He hesitated, weighing his options, calculating what he should reveal. "You're hiding something," he said lowly, taking an aggressive step forward. She held her ground, placing her hands on her hips. "I know you're not really Green Arrow's niece. You don't even live in Star City!"

"Hey, just because I live in Gotham doesn't mean I can't be related to Oliver!" she said indignantly.

"Yeah, but we both know you're not," Red Arrow asserted. They glared at each other, locked in a stalemate. When it became clear neither of them were going to give any ground, he brushed past her, their shoulders knocking. "Watch yourself, Artemis. Whatever you're hiding, I'm going to find it out."

She watched him from over her shoulder, expression slipping into fear as the alley shadows engulfed his form, slithering in around his arms and shoulders.

* * *

Metropolis  
February 23rd  
12:00 AM

Loud, rumbling snores erupted from the couch. Robin groaned, stuffing the pillow to his ears and casting a glare at the sleeping speedster. Wally was sprawled out on the couch, his head hanging back with his mouth wide open and his hand thrown out over the back of the armrest.

A scuffling came from the kitchen. The sound of water being poured into a glass stirred him from his place on the floor.

"Staying hydrated?" Robin asked, taking a seat at the counter.

Kaldur finished his glass and set it aside. "I could not sleep," he admitted.

"Yeah." Robin glared back at the still snoring Wally. "That makes two of us."

"My mind has been plagued with unease. I know I cannot return to Atlantis, as my purpose is clear, and yet I am doubtful I will ever truly belong on the surface," Kaldur revealed.

Robin blinked dumbly, startled by his friend's revelation. "So you're saying you're stuck somewhere in between?" he asked for clarification.

Kaldur merely nodded in reply.

Robin hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. He knew Kaldur well, but they hadn't ever spoken in regards to his personal life. Being what they were, and how his true identity was estranged, he had assumed they never would. "Look, these things take time," he finally said. "Once you get over the culture shock, you'll fit right in."

Doubt hovered in the Atlanteans eyes, furrowed his brows, and tugged at the corners of his lips. "I do not know if it is a matter of time or rather a matter of identity," he admitted.

Robin let out a sigh, realizing this wasn't a subject he could take lightly. "None of us really fit the norm, you know? I mean look at us, at what we do. How could we? I took up the gig when I was nine, and I was eager to do it, to leave everything behind. How is _that_ normal?"

Kaldur inspected him. Robin mentally cursed himself; he hadn't meant to reveal his own concerns. "You are saying our experiences have shaped us into a different mold entirely and that none of us may ever completely mesh within society," he summarized. "And that my current doubts have little to do with being Atlantean."

"Huh. Yeah, I guess so," Robin agreed.

Kaldur thought if over. "If that is the case, then it is a greater burden than I had realized."

Robin offered a smile. "It has its perks."

Kaldur returned the smile, his worries melting away for the first time that night. "Perhaps the place I belong is neither here nor Atlantis, but has been between the lines all along... I will ponder the possibility." He passed the counter, sending a nod his way, a sign of his appreciation. "Goodnight, Robin."

"Night," Robin echoed back, remaining at the counter. He set his elbows against it, staring at the sleek marble with glazed eyes, the constant rumble of snores fading to a distant whisper.

* * *

Gotham City  
February 23rd  
1:00 AM

"My part is done," Sportsmaster said to the shadows. "The rest is all on you, partner."

"Thanks to you, he will accept her," the shadow replied, calm and collected, brassy and rough. "And once he does, the others will come around as well."

"You sure she can handle it?" Sportsmaster asked, voice laced with doubt.

The shadows answered in chuckles.

He frowned, thinking he was being mocked. "I'm just saying. It's your head on the block if she fails."

"She knows her place," the shadow assured, "as should you."

Anger flared across his face, tightening his muscles and sending his blood to a boil. He stepped forward, growling, "You sure have a sharp tongue for a-" He trailed off, looking up and around the empty alley. He cursed under his breath. As though drowned by a sudden light, the shadow had vanished.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Sorry this update took so long! My computer crashed, so not only did I have to wait for repairs, I had to rewrite the chapter. I also apologize if the story lagged a bit. This felt like a very "meh" chapter to me. Mainly the parts with Ivy. Bleh. Anyway, the plot's rollin' in next chapter!  
**


	11. Episode Six - Siphon I

Siphon Part I

* * *

Indonesia  
March 3rd  
2:30 PM

Camouflaged, Miss Martian flew over the tops of the vibrantly painted jungle. She scanned the area below, searching for gaps in the trees and peaks of crumbled ruins. A bead of sweat, engorged by the humid air, rolled down her brow. She brushed it away, wishing they were someplace colder.

'_The temple's nowhere in sight,' _she reported. _'I'll keep searching.'_

'_Can I just say I think this is a complete waste of time?' _Kid Flash said as he tiredly followed Aqualad and Artemis through the growth. Ahead of him, Aqualad's water-bearers cut a path through the low hanging vines and tall ferns. _'This entire excursion is based on rumors, and I'm up to my neck in ferns!' _A sting pierced his neck and he slapped the mosquito with a lightning quick hand. _'And insects…'_

'_Quit complaining,' _Robin scolded from his perch on a tree. He lowered the goggles from his eyes and looked to his left. Zatanna hovered a small ways away, oblivious to the attention she was receiving as she scoured the area. _'If Batman said the disappearances are worth investigating, then they are.' _Below him, Superboy followed Wolf, who was sniffing out a trail.

'_Judging from the reports, there's a good chance it's chaos magic,' _Zatanna said. _'And you know that means Klarion's probably involved…' _Her voice grew bitter.

'Uh t_he natives were talking about rituals and necromancy. Yeah that sounds more like creepy bedtime stories than Klarion,' _Kid Flash argued.

'_I wouldn't put necromancy past him. Though to be honest that's more Hade's domain,' _Zatanna said thoughtfully.

'…_You can't be serious,' _Kid Flash said dryly. He twitched as another mosquito bit his chin and quickly slapped it away. _'Dammit! You know what, Klarion'd better be here. I seriously need someone to wail on!'_

* * *

"Ooh! Look at that, Teekl!" Klarion said with a big grin, pointing to a Thanagarian carving on the temple wall. Torchlight, born by Monsieur Mallah, illuminated the worn pictures. "It's a little birdy!"

The cat meowed on his shoulder, baring its pointed teeth.

"No, you can't eat it, stupid!"

The gorilla growled from behind him.

Brain scooted purposefully by, the wheels of his metal container whirring across the stone. "I am afraid Mallah is right. Dépêchez-vous, time is of zee essence," he said.

"Spoil sport," Klarion muttered, but followed along obediently.

The passage, littered with decrepit skeletons and loose stone, spiraled inward until it brought them to the central chamber, overrun with creeping vines. Sunlight filtered in from the cracks in the roof. The ground rolled with ancient roots, breaking free from beneath the surface like sea serpents.

A stone display stood tall in the center of the room. A statue of a hand rested upon it, flat and facing upwards, the fingers crumbled away. An amulet sat in its palm, the thin gold chain draping over the sides.

Brain gathered it in his pincers, holding it up to his optical sensors. Very carefully, he removed the clear crystal from its setting and released the amulet. The gold treasure clattered hollowly to the floor. "Ah at last. Refined irblevite. Magnifique," he said, raising the crystal.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get it ready, Einstein," Klarion said callously, waving a hand back and forth.

"Patience, mon ami. Science should be thoroughly enjoyed, oui?"

A beeping interrupted them. Mallah began to growl as if conversing, raising his arm and displaying a thick gauntlet. He pressed a button, conjuring a hologram. It was a feed of Robin, Superboy, and Zatanna taken in from the eyes of a robotic bird. It switched to an infrared camera tracking Miss Martian's heat signatures as she flew above the trees.

"What's wrong? What's he saying?" Klarion asked, craning his neck from behind the gorilla's bulk, trying to get in a good look.

"It seems ve have guests. Zank you, Mallah. Vhy don't you go greet zem?"

Without a word, Mallah turned face and made his way back through the passage. Brain turned to Klarion. "Now is as good a time as any to test our petit joujou, vouldn't you say?"

Smirking, Klarion stepped forward, summoning a spark of crimson to his fingertips. "Well then get it ready, tin man!"

Brain reached into one of his compartments and pulled out a small transmitter. He placed the crystal in its center. It instantly locked into place. "It is your turn, gosse," he said, passing the device to Klarion.

Grinning like an imp, Klarion raised his hand and zapped the crystal with a flare of chaos magic. It turned red, bursting with a new static energy. For a moment, the chamber fell silent. And then, a burst of crimson shot out from the crystal, engulfing the temple and pulsing through the surrounding area, passing the trees and sending the birds into a startled flurry.

* * *

Miss Martian barely had time to cross her arms in a hasty defense before the shimmering red wave collided into her. Though she felt no force from the shockwave, she plummeted down into the forest, her image flickering into focus as the camouflage effect was swept away. Leaves and branches snapped and whipped past her as she broke through, clipping her arms and face and twining with her red hair.

A cry escaped her lips as she broke through the thick, lower branches and dove back first into the river. The water splashed and rippled from the impact. Just as it began to settle, Miss Martian burst through the glassy surface, gasping for breath.

She coughed, spluttered, and made her way to shore.

'_Did anyone else see that?' _she asked as she dragged herself out of the water, wincing as her body complained from the fresh cuts and bruises.

The psychic link was silent.

Hazel eyes widened. She couldn't sense them- in fact, she couldn't sense anything at all. She shut her eyes and concentrated, attempting to rise into the air. Her body remained rooted to the jungle ground.

Focusing, she stared at her hands. She tried to morph the pigmentation, but they remained green. Somehow, she was stuck in her current form. She felt a particularly long cut under her eye. It wasn't healing. "My powers," she gasped.

* * *

Zatanna fell to the ground with a cry, breaking through the ferns and high foliage.

'_Zatanna!' _Robin leapt from the tree in an instant, absorbing the force with his foot and hand. He sprang up and rushed to her, knocking aside the underbrush.

"I'm fine!" she assured aloud, grumbling and rubbing her sore back. "Why isn't the link working?" she asked as he pulled her to her feet.

"Dunno. No one's answering," Robin said worriedly, failing to make contact with the others.

Superboy approached them, Wolf at his side. "What's going on?" he asked.

"The link's down," Zatanna said. "And something knocked me right out of the air... I don't know what's going on, but something isn't right."

Superboy's eyes sharpened and he looked to the sky. "M'gann's in trouble," he concluded. "I'm going after her!"

"Wait a second, we can't just charge off! We need a plan!" Robin protested.

Before any of them could twitch, a slight rumble shook the earth, and a giant rhinoceros came crashing through the trees and low hanging vines. The collared animal was twice the normal size, with mad eyes and skin split to reveal massive muscles. They scattered, Wolf snarling as he snapped at the beast's legs. Superboy grabbed hold of its front horn, teeth bare as he strained to throw the animal on its back.

Instead, the rhino swung its great head, first knocking into wolf and then whip lashing in the opposite direction. Superboy had barely a moment to widen his eyes in shock before he was flung through the air. He crashed into a tree, grunting in pain as the shattering force spread down his spine. He flopped to the floor, buried under the foliage.

Zatanna drew back low to the ground as the rhino turned to her, snorting steam from its flared nostrils. It pawed the ground with a heavy foot. "Tfil!" she cried, throwing out a hand. Nothing happened, and the rhino rushed forward with a mad huff. "It's not working!" she cried helplessly.

From the trees, Robin shot his taser, the lines connected with the animal, wrapping around his snout. The rhino snorted and roared as electricity ripped through its body. With a mighty tug, he pulled the rhino's head to the side. It tripped, crashing to its side and sliding with a spray of dirt and plants. Zatanna shielded herself as the animal toppled past her.

As soon as it was down, Wolf sprang upon the rhino, teeth tearing at the collar and successfully ripping it away. He leapt off, and the confused animal rose to its feet and lumbered off like a spooked rabbit.

"Zee, are you okay?" Robin asked worriedly, hurrying over to her.

Zatanna looked to him, her face white. "Y-yeah… I'm sorry, I-I don't know what came over me…"

"Don't be," Robin said, breathing out a sigh. He looked to Superboy, who stumbled towards them, rubbing his neck. "Neither of your powers is working."

"What about M'gann?" Superboy asked, his voice, while still concerned, a great deal calmer than normal.

"We'll head to her last location. Come on-" Robin's voice faltered as the whites of his mask snapped wide. Ahead of them, four rhinos pushed through the thick of the jungle, all infected with Kobra-Venom and looking to wreck whatever stood in their path.

* * *

A red beam signaled high into the sky. Miss Martian was certain it was the source of her power's disruption. She walked along the river as it snaked through the trees, offering the surest and clearest path.

Eventually, the river wound around so that it blocked her path to the red light. She examined the still waters and sighed dejectedly, still only half dry from her previous experience. Her damp clothes stuck to her skin, adhered both by water and sweat. Wishing more than anything that she was back someplace cold and dry, she waded into the river until the water rose up to her waist. She raised her arms, thankful the crossing wasn't so deep she would have to swim.

The water split around a scaly spine as a creature glided just beneath the surface. Miss Martian barely noticed the disturbance out of the corner of her eye and barely had time to dive to the side before the river erupted with the snapping jaws of a crocodile. It missed, crashing into the water beside her, tail flailing as it spun around.

Miss Martian reached out and grabbed one of the vines overhanging from the thick canopy of trees. She tugged herself up as the crocodile swam at her again, lifting its long snout in an attempt to reach her. She pulled herself higher, raising her knees to her chest, the fringes of her cape grazing the top of the reptile's nose.

Two more joined the first, swirling just beneath her, waiting for her to fall as the vine strained from the weight. Miss Martian reached for the nearest tree branch, but it was just past her fingertips. She pulled herself higher, and the vine began to stretch and complain. Her fingers wrapped around the thick of the branch just as the vine snapped, plummeting to the river of teeth.

She pulled herself up the tree, leaning her back against the bark and gasping for breath. The crocodiles hissed beneath her, dispersing one by one when they realized they weren't getting anything.

Still shaking from the close encounter, Miss Martian carefully descended the tree and returned focus to the eerie light.

* * *

Kid Flash glowered at the backs of his companions. They pressed on, purposefully ignoring his persistent questioning through their psychic link.

"Would you stop ignoring me!" he exclaimed aloud. The combination of his frustration, his stuffy suit, and the smothering humid heat was too much to take.

Aqualad and Artemis turned back to him, their expressions puzzled. "Just _what_ are you talking about?" Artemis demanded, crossing her arms.

"Don't play dumb. I've been asking you for the past five minutes where we're going!"

"You haven't said a thing! Which, honestly, has been a relief!"

"Oh, sure, you _pretended _I didn't!"

"No, you seriously didn't! I think the heat's getting to your head!"

"Enough," Aqualad interjected, wearily wiping his forehead clear of sweat. "I cannot make contact with Miss Martian or the others. It would appear the psychic link is down."

"Oh," Kid Flash said simply. "Uhh… I guess that would explain it."

Artemis glared at him. "You think?"

"Something must have happened. We should proceed immediately to Miss Martian's last known location," Aqualad instructed.

"Great. And where exactly is that?" Kid Flash asked.

"Last we spoke, she was by the river," Aqualad answered. "Hopefully she is still there and has not come to harm."

"I… think we should be more worried about ourselves right now," Artemis said nervously, staring wide eyed into the distance. The others followed her gaze.

Giant, hissing lizards descended from the trees, claws digging into the gnarled bark as they crawled towards them. The gray-brown scales split at their sides, backs, and limbs, exposing overgrown muscles and indicating Kobra-Venom had been administered into their systems. Despite that, they had no collars. Their jaws opened, revealing yellow forked tongues and twin serrated fangs emerging from their gums.

"Don't move…" Kid Flash warned quietly. "They're komodo dragons… They're carnivorous and venomous. If they bite you out here, you're as good as dead."

In answer, Artemis reached for her bow and Aqualad slowly unsheathed his water-bearers.

The largest of the group, most likely the alpha, lunged from the trees while the others held back. Kid Flash made as if to dash aside, but his legs were as sluggish as an average human, and he took the full brunt of the leaping one hundred fifty pound lizard.

"Kid!" Aqualad shouted, attempting to summon water to his bearers. To his dread, his tattoos failed to light up, and his weapons remained swordless hilts.

Heavy claws pinned Kid Flash on his back. The dragon hissed and lunged for his neck. He quickly jammed the flat of his palm under the reptile's jaw, forcing it away. An arrow whizzed, its head burying into the dragon's side with a heavy thump. Blood spurted from the wound as the green arrow pierced the lizard's heart.

With a huff and a grunt, he rolled the heavy corpse off him and scampered up to a sitting position.

"Why the hell didn't you dodge?" Artemis demanded at his side, waving her bow out. He looked up at her, taken aback by her reaction. Her face was red; dark ash eyes furious.

"I don't know!" Kid Flash stammered. "Something's short circuited my speed!"

"I am afraid you are not the only one," Aqualad said, showing them his empty water-bearers. "Artemis, as you possess no powers, it would appear you are currently our most valuable asset."

The infected komodo dragons collected on the jungle floor, advancing on them with swishing tails and bared teeth.

"Great," Artemis muttered, drawing an arrow and taking a step back.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well this arc dragged on more than I intended, so it's actually going to be a three parter. (I could just skim it down but... I'm lazy.)  
**


	12. Episode Six - Siphon II

Siphon Part II

* * *

Indonesia  
March 3rd  
4:45 PM

Vulnerable without the ability of flight or camouflage, Miss Martian crept along the jungle floor, jumping at every squawk or scuffle. She skirted from tree to tree, keeping low in the underbrush. She had always wanted to share the benefits of being human, but had never before thought about the disadvantages.

Her foot bumped into a heavy stick, and she retrieved it off the ground, gauging its worth as a sizable club. It was better than nothing so she decided to take it along.

The light's source was just up ahead, as the signal appeared to burst from the nearby trees. She eagerly started forward. All she had to do was shut off whatever was stunting her abilities and she would be able to contact the others and call for the Bio-Ship.

A low growling interrupted her determined trek and she whirled around, turning her back towards the wide trunk of a tree. A rumbling collared tiger approached her, circling the outer area of the clearing, its head low and shoulders hunched, the blades rising and falling as it prowled ever closer.

Miss Martian kept a low stance, knees bent and club at the ready. She stared directly into the tiger's eyes, unblinking and challenging, hoping it was convincing enough to mask her fear. The tiger stared back, its muzzle curled as it snarled. It bent low to the floor and then pounced.

Miss Martian unleashed a cry and swung the club with all her strength. It crashed into the tiger's wide open jaw, roughly whacking it to the side. The tiger was quick on its feet, bounding around and raising a paw of four inch razors. She pulled back as the tiger brought down its claws across her abdomen. Her shirt tore as the nails dug shallow trenches into her skin. Blood ran down her stomach.

The tiger lunged, moving in to finish her off. She jammed the top of the stick under its chin, forcing it shut and sending a shock through the animal's skull. While it was momentarily stunned, she drew back the club and swung it into the exposed collar. It cracked with an outburst of electricity, and fell from the tiger's throat.

The tiger blinked in confusion, its eyes softening. When it caught sight of her, it growled defensively, crouching to its belly.

Despite the piercing pain of the cuts, Miss Martian rose to full height, raising her arms and the thick club. "Go away!" she shouted as loud as she could, stomping one foot forward, trying to look as big and tall as possible.

The tiger backed up, its tail swishing. Giving her one last snarl, it turned heel and bounded into the jungle.

She let out a sigh of relief and, legs shaking, slid down against the rough bark of the tree. She pressed a hand to her wounds, bringing it up to her face. Her glove was smeared red. The wounds were deep and stung terribly, but they weren't fatal, even without her Martian regeneration. She stared up towards the source of the light, face set with determination. She braced the club against the ground and pushed herself to her feet.

* * *

The rhinos advanced on Robin and his team. Robin drew two birdarangs, holding them between his knuckles. Wolf growled and crouched low to the ground, Superboy at his side. Zatanna took a step back, unable to do anything without her magic.

Robin quickly assessed the situation. With Superboy severely lacking in firepower and Zatanna to protect, he didn't see how they were going to get out of this. '_Great. All those fights with Batman and I get taken down by a stampede of angry rhinos. How totally treme,' _he thought bitterly.

A three pronged javelin whizzed through the air, piercing the middle rhino's collar. It spooked and began to thrash into its neighbors, taking three others with it to the ground. A figure swooped in from the trees, a second javelin in his head. Bronze armor flashed as he flew by, his wings extending as he pulled up, twisted around, and threw the other javelin.

Robin recovered from his open gawping and leapt into action, tossing the birdarangs and taking out two of the rhinos. Wolf and Superboy joined him. Together, with the newcomer's help, they made short work of the collars and chased off the spooked animals.

The young Thanagarian landed and retrieved his javelins, attaching them at his back to a strap swung over his shoulder and chest. He turned to them and removed his bronze and black beaked and winged mask to reveal copper hair and sharp green eyes.

"Who're you?" Superboy demanded, crossing his arms across his chest.

The Thanagarian wordlessly brushed past them, his armor clanking as he moved, instead approaching a somewhat quizzical Zatanna. He suddenly took her hand and kissed the back of it, earning a startled and embarrassed blush.

"Are you alright, Shr'i?" he asked kindly.

"Err… sure," Zatanna said, averting her eyes and taking her hand back.

Robin flushed and took a step forward. "Hawkboy, right?" he said, raising his voice slightly.

The Thanagarian winced at that. "Hawken, actually," he said, turning around. "I no longer go by Hawkboy anymore, _Boy Wonder_." He looked around at all of them. "But my name, human, is Svar. Svar Hal. I'm here to solve your little problem."

"What little problem?" Robin tested, narrowing his eyes.

Hawken looked to the sky and brought a hand up to indicate the red beam of light in the distance. "The source of your stunted abilities," he explained.

"I recognize that spear," Robin said suddenly, examining the weapon at his back. "I found one just like it in Siberia. You attacked the mining camp there. Why?"

"Across your world, ancient Thanagarian sites are being defiled. I plan to stop that."

"What do you mean defiled?" Zatanna asked, stepping around the silent Superboy.

Svar turned to her, his tone growing softer. "They are being salvaged for resources, Shr'i. At first, I could not discern why. But after seeing all of you here I'm beginning to understand…"

"Resources? You mean Element-M?" Robin asked.

"Element-M?" Svar echoed. A chuckle escaped him. "An interesting name. I assume you're referring to irblevite?"

"If that's what it's called," Robin dismissed. "What does it do?"

Zatanna rubbed her arm and looked away as if to opt-out of the conversation.

Svar shook his head. "I do not know. Not exactly. All I know is that irblevite is the connection between the recent defilement of various Thanagarian sites. You being here is no coincidence. Our goals coincide."

"Then we'll work together. Now let's hurry up and find M'gann!" Superboy said impatiently.

"First we must meet up with your friends," Svar said, holding up a hand to settle him. "My men are moving in to save them as we speak."

"Your men?" Robin repeated, quirking an eyebrow.

Svar smiled. "My people's influence is strong and has survived the many generations following their rule," he said. "While there're some who would destroy the relics of my ancestors' empire, there're others who would defend it. Besides, you don't really think I took out that mining camp all by my lonesome, do you?"

* * *

Thick sprawling vines protectively enshrouded the temple ruins. Were it not for the red signal beam shooting into the sky, neither Miss Martian nor the Team would've ever found it; not even lady luck was skilled enough to have them stumble across it.

Miss Martian readied the club at her side and entered the dark ruins. Sunlight sprinkled through gaps in the stone and foliage, but as she ventured deeper the vines smothered it out. Soon she could barely see anything and had to crawl along the wall, listening to nothing but the scuff of her boots and her ragged breaths. Her gloves brushed over trenches, hinting at some unseen carvings and notches worn into the stone, but she couldn't make them out. She found her way into a chamber where the roof had caved and the sun spilled over the growth and thick vines netting the ground.

A low growl stole her attention. She snapped her head towards its direction, pulling up her glove. Monsieur Mallah hung from a vine, his foot propped against the wall and his free hand grasping a heavy machine gun. His large mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth and a rumbling roar, before he leapt from his perch upon the wounded Martian.

* * *

With the death of their leader, the komodo dragons flew into a rage. They leapt from the trees at the ground, bearing poisoned fangs. Artemis shot arrow after arrow. A pile of dead lizards had amassed on the grounds, but her supply was steadily dwindling. Kid Flash and Aqualad fared no better as they struggled, back to back, without their powers.

A particularly large reptile charged into them, separating them. It leapt upon Aqualad, and the two struggled on the floor, the monster's fat tail thrashing in the air.

"Kaldur!" Artemis cried, turning her attention to her fallen comrade. She drew back an arrow.

A lizard locked onto her suddenly vulnerable back, pouncing from a tree branch.

"Watch out!" Kid Flash called as he moved as fast as he could and tackled her to the ground.

The hissing lizard sailed over them and skidded across the underbrush, kicking up dirt and ripping apart the ferns in its path. It whirled around and made as if to leap again. Instead, a spear pierced its neck with a sickening thump. The lizard fell to the side and lay still.

Half a dozen men popped out from the surrounding foliage. They were garbed in iron armor and tattered cloth and wielded spears and axes. Unkempt hair and wild beards all but consumed their scarred heads. They shouted intelligibly as they slayed the ambushed lizards. Those that survived the first wave quickly fled into the jungle.

Artemis groaned and opened her eyes. Kid Flash's symbol hovered over her. Startled, she roughly pushed his chest away, rolling him off and earning a resounding, "Oof!" Noticing the men closing in around them, she rose to her feet and drew her bow.

The men halted. One of them, with gray hair and a chipped axe, stepped towards her. His dark eyes bore into her and he frowned with wide cracked lips. Undaunted, she returned the glare, drawing the bow tighter. Kid Flash lowered her arm, snapping her concentration, and stepped between them. He raised a hand to encourage the strange man to stop and held her back with the other. She frowned, unsure whether to be annoyed or grateful.

"Who are you?" Kid Flash asked, his eyes serious.

A pained groan interrupted them. Kaldur rolled on his back, clutching his arm. Blood poured from between his fingers, running over his webs.

"Kaldur!" Artemis exclaimed. She tried to run to him, but was blocked by Kid's arm. "What're you doing?" she hissed. He glanced back at her, giving her a stern look of warning. "He needs medical attention! You said it yourself, if one of us is bit-" she stopped herself, unwilling to say it. He visibly relaxed and glumly looked away.

"I know what I said," he said quietly. "But we can't make any sudden moves while we're surrounded like this."

"Jeez. Here I go through all this effort to save you, and you're just having another romantic moment!" a familiar voice complained from behind the circle of wildmen.

"What...?" Kid Flash looked up and around in surprise. "Rob?"

Robin stepped into the clearing, accompanied by Superboy, Wolf, and Zatanna. As soon as a fifth party stepped forward, an armored Thanagarian, the wildmen respectfully fell to a knee and bowed their heads. He looked around, assessing the situation. When his sharp eyes landed on Aqualad, he hurried to his side and began administering medical aide. The Atlantean's fevered murmurs ceased and he fell into a still sleep.

Robin examined the carnage and the arrow feather's sticking up from the dead reptiles. "Man. You really went to town, Artemis."

Artemis walked around Kid Flash and let out the breath she'd been holding in. She exchanged greetings with Zatanna, and then compared notes. "Things got complicated," she explained. "What happened on your end?"

"Ditto," was all he said, nodding his head towards the Thanagarian.

Kid Flash stood behind the Thanagarian, peering over his folded wings to get a look at his friend. "Will he be alright?" he asked worriedly.

The Thanagarian rose. "I administered an anti-venom and anti-biotics to stave off bacterial infection," he explained. "You're lucky I was here. Why don't you possess proper medical treatment?"

Kid Flash frowned. "Uh cause we didn't expect our powers to blackout right as we're being attacked by an army of killer lizards?"

The Thanagarian narrowed his eyes. "Always expect the worst." He passed him, knocking brusquely into his shoulder.

"What the hell?" Kid Flash mouthed, irked by the hostile attitude.

"Who's that?" Artemis asked with a slight scowl.

"Svar Hal. Also known as Hawkboy- sorry, _Hawken_," Robin said, sounding as equally annoyed.

"Uh-huh. And what's with the stick up his butt?" she asked casually.

Robin grinned at that.

"He's not _that_ bad," Zatanna protested quickly wiping the smirk from his face and putting him back in his sulky mood.

Artemis inspected him, and then cast her eyes to the unconscious Aqualad. He had saved his life, after all. She suddenly felt a pang of guilt for being rude. "Yeah. I guess not."

Hawken gathered them together. "It is too dangerous for my men to proceed. They will stay behind and take your hurt companion to safety."

"While we...?" Robin questioned, motioning for him to fill in the blanks.

"Find M'gann," Superboy inserted. "We've wasted enough time already!"

Hawken ignored him. "The temple is what's disrupting your powers. I will go there, and you will help me stop whoever's desecrating my ancestors' site."

* * *

A bright crimson light blinded her vision. Miss Martian blinked rapidly, squinting against the offending glare. "Wha... where...?" she moaned, trying to shift her position. She found she couldn't move. Her eyes snapped open and she desperately looked around. She was suspended, hung by her arms by magnetic locks. Her feet had also been shackled. She struggled vainly to break free.

"Calm yourself, mademoiselle."

She stopped struggling, instead trying to focus her blurry vision. She was in some sort of chamber filled with vines. A steady red beam shot from the center, breaking through the roof and into the sky. A machine circled around the beam and came to a stop in front of her. Atop the robot was held a brain in a glass container. The red light reflected off the container and lit the liquid inside so that it glistened like blood.

"You," she hissed.

"You are in no position to fight," the Brain continued. "Just look at ze state of your vounds."

"What're you doing here?" Miss Martian demanded, ignoring him.

"Ve have much to do, and so little time to do it. Ah but zat is ze price science must pay."

Mallah entered the room, wheeling in a cart. He was dressed in what looked like scrubs and a surgeon's mask.

"I must confess I find your Martian physiology... fascinating..." Brain reached for the cart and plucked a scalpel with his pincer. "I vill enjoy examining it further. Ah but try not to scream, s'il vous plaît. It upsets ze vildlife."

A shiver ran down her spine, and, despite his request, she was tempted to scream for help. Mentally she did, forgetting in her spout of fear that the telepathic link was down, and so was only answered by a deafening silence.


	13. Episode Six - Siphon III

Siphon Part III

* * *

Indonesia  
March 3rd  
6:00 PM

Stoic baboons perched like sentinels on the outer reaches of the temple ruins. The Team watched from the outskirts of the nearby trees. With Aqualad debilitated, Hawken had superciliously declared himself leader. Before they could move in, he held Kid Flash and Zatanna back.

"Without your powers, you'll only get in the way," he told Kid Flash, who quietly argued as vehemently as he could. He was unfazed and turned to Zatanna. "Stay here where it is safe, Shr'i."

Zatanna raised a brow and tapped a foot, a little offended at being placed on a high shelf out of harm's way.

Artemis and Robin each took out a baboon's collar. A brightly colored bird darted into the sky and began squawking their presence. The baboons noticed them and began to screech and hop up and down.

* * *

The Brain drew the scalpel across the green skin of the Martian's side, eliciting a clean cut. Miss Martian cried out. Blood blossomed like a red flower, collecting into shining drops before dripping down.

He watched, waited, but the skin did not mend. "Hmm... shall ve try deeper zis time?"

Miss Martian responded with a half sob, trying to hold back the fear and pain.

The Brain brought the scalpel to her ribs. The thin blade neared, brushing against her trembling skin. He stopped, distracted by the sudden screeching of animals. Miss Martian gasped, releasing the tension she'd been holding as the sharp blade approached.

"Ah. Mallah. Ze rest of our guests have arrived. Bring zem to me. Zey vill enjoy my vork, no?"

The gorilla grumbled in accordance and, still dressed like a nurse, lumbered away.

The Brain turned back to the trembling Martian. "Now, vhere vere ve? Ah... Of course. Ze dissection."

* * *

Robin, Artemis, Superboy, Wolf, and Hawken worked together to take out the baboons. Hawken dove and swept over them and Superboy and Wolf charged straight in while the other two picked the collars off from afar.

Monsieur Mallah leapt from the ruins with a mighty roar. He pounded his chest before throwing himself upon them.

"Uh is that... a nurse's outfit?" Kid Flash muttered in disbelief.

"Can't say. Too busy _hiding_," Zatanna said bitterly.

Superboy threw a maddened punch at the large animal, but was swatted aside like a fly. Wolf pounced and bit into his shoulder. Mallah roared in pain, grabbed the white canine around the torso, and threw him into his master.

Hawken dived down and jabbed at the large beast from above. Mallah irritably waved his arms around, trying to chase him off. Artemis fired an arrow. It erupted into spinning bolas and locked his wide ankles together. Robin ran up the round belly and landed a hard, spinning kick to his bulbous face. Mallah stumbled and fell back, landing on his back.

A slow clapping halted their battle. "Nice work, justice brats!" a whiny voice applauded. They looked up to the source.

"Klarion," Kid Flash hissed.

Zatanna balled her hands into fists, wishing her powers were back now more than ever.

Klarion stood atop the ruins, a large black striped sabrecat at his side. Its red eyes focused on Hawken and its fur bristled. A low growl emanated from its throat.

"Go ahead, Teekl. That little birdy you can eat."

Teekl pounced with a sharp cry, claws extended. Hawken caught the attack with the flat of his spear and, with a mighty heave, tossed the cat to the ground.

"Ah! Teekl!" Klarion exclaimed. His shocked face quickly turned to anger. An ethereal glow took his eyes. He rose to the sky, a red crackling energy emitting from him. "You brats will pay for that!"

"You take care of the drama queen, I'm going in!" Hawken ordered.

"Wait! We need you out here!" Robin protested.

If Hawken heard, he did not listen, instead swooping into the temple's entrance. Letting out a roar of protest, Mallah tore through his binds and barreled after him.

"Great," Robin muttered. He looked at Superboy, Wolf still sprawled on top of him, and then at Artemis, who was running dangerously low on arrows. He let out a sigh. "Stay traught."

Artemis threw him a quizzical look. "Just who is that advice meant for? Cause I'm fine," she assured, notching an arrow. "Come on. We can take him."

"Right." He tossed her a smile and pulled out his eskrima stick. "Not like he's a chaos lord or anything."

* * *

"Hmm... It seems zat vithout your Martian regeneration ability, you are just another human, no?" The Brain asked, inspecting the wounds across her stomach and the slit now present between her ribs. Even that refused to heal.

Miss Martian turned her head away in answer. Dizziness wracked her senses, her focus flowing in an out like the receding tide.

"Tell me, mademoiselle. How do you like being human? Is it as you expected?" he asked.

Her lips tipped in a frown.

The Brain chuckled. "I zought not. It is not a natural state for your kind, no? It is more normal for someone like you to have... how vould you say... murderous intent? No... killing instincts? Yes... Like ze tigers in zis jungle, oui?"

This time, she turned her head towards him, mouth agape. "What...what do you mean?" she asked weakly.

A spear lodged itself between the many gears of the Brain's compartment.

"Ah! No! Mallah!" The Brain exclaimed. "Come to me!"

Hawken flew at him with a cry, whacking the blunt of his spear across the front of the metal. The Brain was knocked on his back, wheels spinning helplessly as they struggled vainly in the air. Satisfied, Hawken turned to the injured Martian. His eyes widened at the sight of the bloody wounds. "Seven Hells!" he exclaimed breathlessly. He rushed to her aide, breaking the locks and catching her when she fell.

"Mm... Connor?" Miss Martian asked wearily, her consciousness ebbing away. The last she saw was Hawken's concerned face hovering over hers, and dark gorilla hands raising up behind him, locked together to form a giant hammer. She was too tired too warn him, though, and instead dipped into a dark sleep.

* * *

A green arrow zipped through the air. Klarion held out a palm. It stopped in midair, spun it around, and flew right back at the archer. Artemis and Robin rolled out of the way as it struck the ground, exploding in a cloud of fire and smoke.

Superboy attempted to charge him with a loud roar, but was pounced by Teekl. They wrestled in the ferns, Superboy barely holding back the gnashing teeth.

Two birdarangs shot from the smoke. Klarion crossed his arms, bringing up a smoke grey shield. It shimmered crimson where the birdarangs struck. They fell uselessly. Wolf leapt at his blind spot. He landed hardon his back, snarling, teeth biting into his shoulder. Klarion let out a cry of anguish. He reached clumsily for his back, arms waving.

"Get off me, you damn mutt!"

An arrow shot at his exposed front. He barely had time to swing away before it clipped his side, tearing his suit. His eyes flared an angry white. He let out a pulse of energy, throwing Wolf off his back. He threw out a hand, knocking Artemis to the floor.

Robin started forward, but the chaos lord caught him with his other hand, forcing him to the ground.

"That was a dirty trick!" Klarion whined. The sadistic grin returned, spreading ear to ear. "I'm gonna make you pay for that!"

He slowly lowered his hands, fingers dancing as though playing imaginary keys, psychically crushing them to the ground. They cried out, struggling to fight against the ethereal weight pushing down on their backs.

Kid Flash swore from the bushes.

"We have to do something!" Zatanna said.

"What?" he asked through his teeth. "Damn it. How can witch-boy use his powers but we can't?" He looked desperately to his companions, trying to find someway to help them.

"Well obviously that's because it's chaos magic," she pointed out. "And the only one who can counter chaos magic is..."

The sun glinted off a golden figure in the sky. Dr. Fate flew into the clearing, striking Klarion with a beam of light.

Zatanna drew back, turning her eyes away. Even if he was their only hope, she didn't exactly want to see him.

"Nabu!" Klarion spat. He released the hold he had over Artemis and Robin. They rolled onto their backs, groaning. "Where did you come from, old man?"

"You were a fool to think you could hide this from me, Klarion," Dr. Fate said.

"Tch. As if I wanted to hide!" Klarion held out his hands, a stream of red magic shooting out.

Dr. Fate deflected it, countering with a beam from his staff.

As they fought overhead, Kid Flash ran to his companions.

"You okay, Rob?"

Robin pushed himself to his feet. "Yeah..." He looked from Artemis, who was recovering fine, to the fight in the sky, then to Teekl and Superboy. He rushed in to help, his eskrima stick raised. He brought it across the sabercat's face, knocking it aside with a cry.

Klarion's form flickered. Panicked, he looked down. "Teekl!" he called out.

Dr. Fate used his distraction to strike him with a whip of light.

Klarion fell forward, careening through the air. He caught himself, frustrated. "Dammit... Teekl! We're getting out of here!" He conjured a portal, setting one foot through it.

Teekl looked at the team, let out a hissing snarl, and jumped after his master.

As soon as the portal vanished, the red beam pulsing from the temple flickered and faded away.

Dr. Fate descended from the sky, cape fluttering. Robin stepped forward as he settled onto ground.

Zatanna remained hidden, watching from the shadows, brows knitted.

* * *

Miss Martian lay sprawled out on the stone floor. She stirred, wincing at the hardness of the ground. She pushed herself up, disoriented.

"M'gann!"

Hazel eyes fluttered open. She looked around, eyes darting in the dark. The red light had vanished. "Connor?" she asked weakly.

A pair of strong hands held her by the shoulders. Her vision cleared. Superboy's concerned face peered down at her, blue eyes bright in the dim.

She smiled, shaking, hands rising to meet his. "Connor..." The name on her lips dripped with happiness, relief. She could hardly believe it was him.

"I'm here." His eyes drifted across her, searching for injuries. Her wounds had mended, her clothes repaired, hiding the blood stains under them. Somehow, her powers had returned. Seeing she was unharmed, he looked back to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "You hurt?"

She shook her head. She didn't want him to know. "N-no. I'm fine..." She rubbed her head. "What happened? There was someone..." She jumped in realization. "A Thanagarian! He was here... And Brain!"

Superboy looked up, scanning the empty chamber for signs. "We'll worry about that later... Come on." He helped her stand. Her legs shook, but held her weight. "Let's get you out of here."

* * *

Undisclosed Location  
March 4th  
5:00 AM

The Brain wheeled into a room of screens. Figures of white static stared down at him.

"Well? Was the experiment a success?" a charismatic voice demanded.

"Indeed it vas," the Brain said. "Zee irblevite vas most... useful. And ve have acquired a new petite oiseau for our tests."

"Yeah, but Nabu got in the way!" a bratty voice complained.

"Yes," a disciplined voice agreed. "We will have to find some way to deal with Dr. Fate."

"And once we do, think of the chaos this element will bring on the Justice League. We must find a way to make the effects large scale," the charismatic voice said.

"And ve vill," the Brain assured. "I am confidant it can be done."

"That's all well and good, but I must voice my displeasure over your treatment of my pet," a woman said harshly. "She is not yours to toy with."

"Ah, I did no permanent damage, mademoiselle. Perhaps I even helped you? And I left her vhere she can be found, rest assured."

"I don't care about your excuses," she said thinly. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Enough," the charismatic voice chimed. "We have more to worry about, my dear."

"Yes... the next step is a delicate one indeed," the disciplined voice said smoothly. "The League cannot discover our plans."

"They won't," the charismatic voice assured. "Not until we want them to."

* * *

**A/N:**

**So here's what's going on. I updated this arc like normal because I had to finish it, and its still important to the plot, but the story has wandered a bit from it's original premise. This arc focused way too much on setting up the Light's plan rather than showing how they're controlling the Team. Because of this, I'm going to take some time to revise my outline to increase the pace. ****It shouldn't take too long, but I'll probably be on weekly updates.  
**


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